10.1. SR 03-04-2019
Request for Action
To Item Number
Mayor and City Council 10.1
Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by
Work Session March 4, 2019 Lauren Wipper, Human Resources Manager
Item Description Reviewed by
Healthy for Life Wellness Incentive Program Cal Portner, City Administrator
Reviewed by
Action Requested
Discussion
Background/Discussion
The city updated the pay plan in July 2018. In developing the pay plan, we based our employee salary
rates from the average salary rate of the set of comparable cities approved by the city council and used in
each of our union contract negotiations.
As you may recall, the updated pay plan equalized the midpoints with our peer city salaries. While the top
of our 5-step compensation left us shy of the average top pay of our peers, our intent was to provide a
wellness-related incentive to help employees achieve a salary closer to the top of our peer group if they
met the requirements of the program. Our police officers have a similar program as a wage incentive in
lieu of additional longevity most other police departments have.
We have designed an outline for a program we think would work well to accomplish the goals of
incentivizing healthy behaviors and keeping us financially competitive with our peers for employee
recruitment and retention.
The proposed program includes two sections. First are the ‘must do’ activities. The second section is a list
of options employee can choose from to meet the remaining threshold to reach the incentive. Each
option is assigned a point value. A minimum number of points are required to be eligible for the wellness
incentive. The options were chosen to emulate a well-rounded, healthy lifestyle. In this draft, the
scorecard has 825 available points.
If approved, the program would start April 1 and needs to be completed in time to ensure the funding is
included in the 2020 budget.
Financial Impact
The impact is dependent on the structure we choose for the incentive.
Attachments
Draft Healthy for Life Wellness Incentive Program Policy
Proposed 2019 Scorecard Items
The Elk River Vision
A welcoming community with revolutionary and spirited resourcefulness, exceptional
service, and community engagement that encourages and inspires prosperity
Healthy for Life
Wellness Incentive
Program Policy
1
Healthy for Life Wellness Incentive Program
Purpose
The City of Elk River recognizes the importance of employee health. Healthy employees
provide benefits to the employee, employer, and the community as a whole. This voluntary
program was designed to provide a variety of opportunities to enhance the health of eligible
city employees with a wellness incentive in the form of additional pay.
Policy
Eligible Employees
Employees who hold positions within the City of Elk River’s Pay Plan are eligible to
participate. Employees must be performing successfully. If performance improvement needs
are identified during the year, the incentive will end until performance improves. New
employees may participate if there is sufficient time remaining before the deadline to
complete the elements of the program. Program elements and the incentive are the same
regardless of full-time or part-time status.
Program Requirements
Employees must complete the requirements as provided annually on the Healthy for Life
Wellness Incentive Program Scorecard by the deadline indicated. The Scorecard will include
a section of elements that every employee must complete as well as a section of elements the
employee can choose from to accumulate a required score. Employees must complete both
of these sections by the deadline to receive the incentive.
Program elements may change periodically. The City Council shall review and approve the
program elements annually.
Incentive
Employees that successfully complete the requirement of the program by the deadline will
receive a financial incentive the following year. The incentive is $XXXX paid out as $XX
each first and second pay period of each month. Employees leaving employment with the
city during the year are eligible only for the amount of incentive provided to them during
their employment.
Healthy for Life Wellness Incentive Program
Policy History
Adopted by: On (date) Item #
2
Proposed 2019 Scorecard Items
Must-dos
ShareCare “Your Real Age” health risk assessment.
o This assessment is completely private and the city will not collect any information
other than the names of employees who completed it.
Read chapter 5 of Younger Next Year, by Crowley and Lodge
o This pairs nicely with the health risk assessment above. This chapter gives a great
explanation about why your body ages and what a person can do to slow it down.
Employees will answer some questions to verify that they’ve read the chapter.
Annual medical/preventative exam
o Research shows that preventative exams help to catch problems early. Needs to be
completed within one year prior to the deadline. Doctor sign-off required. 2016
insurance data shows that only 35% of employees on our plan had a preventative
exam.
Dental or eye exam
o Every employee will also be required to get either a dental or eye exam.
Options to use to accumulate required score (400?)
100 pts – Smoke/tobacco/e-cig free for at least 2 months
100 pts – Fitness – Rec sports league, health club, on your own program, combo – 3 days
per week for at least 2 months
75 pts – Track food, sugar, pop, similar for 1 month
o Research a reason why and track your choice
75 pts – Participate in 1 NFP challenge with every check in made
o NFP, our insurance brokers, are providing a number of online challenges. At the end
of last year we had a “maintain, don’t gain” challenge, we just completed a water
challenge, and will be doing a stress challenge and fruit and veggie challenge yet this
year. The challenges are month-long or a little longer with weekly online check-ins.
75 pts – Participate in RetireWise – all 4 classes
o RetireWise is a 4-series class put on by MetLife. Classes will be held after work at
City Hall.
50 pts – Volunteer – Examples: Meals on Wheels, donate blood, foodbank, retirement
center, Adopt-A-Park, the opportunities are endless.
o Employee’s need to volunteer once
50 pts – Read a book
50 pts – Health Rewards Program participation
o Need to participate in at least one event
50 pts – Try a new class/program – fitness, eating, financial, etc.
50 pts – Participate in a community walk, run, bike, or similar
50 pts – Flu shot for 2018/2019 flu season
50 pts – Participate in Healthier Tomorrow
o Hour long presentation by our wellness consultant at NFP. Employees would do
this on their own time during lunch and utilizing paid time off or flex time.
50 pts – Attend Employee Recognition Luncheon