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REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br />Date:April 10, 2023 <br /> Item No.: 10.i <br />Department Approval City Manager Approval <br />Item Description: Consider Approval of the 2023 Wellness Program for City Employees <br />1 B ACKGROUND <br />2 Based upon the recommendation of the city attorney, Council is being asked to formally approve the <br />3 city’s 2023 Wellness Program for employees. <br />4 <br />5 For many years, the city has offered a voluntary wellness program that employees can participate in <br />6 with the intention of promoting health and wellness to benefit employees as well as lower the cost of <br />7 providing health insurance. Over 75% of healthcare spending is caused by preventable health risks, <br />8 such as inadequate exercise, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, obesity and high blood <br />9 pressure. <br />10 <br />11 The city’s wellness year runs October – September each year, with different programs and activities <br />12 available for employees to participate in. As part of our contract with our insurance pool, we are <br />13 allocated a certain dollar amount annually for which we are eligible to receive reimbursement of <br />14 approved health and wellness expenditures. For 2023, the amount we are eligible to receive in <br />15 reimbursement for approved expenditures is $11,400. <br />16 <br />17 The city has an employee wellness committee that meets regularlyto layout the strategic plan of the <br />18 wellness program and define the particulars around each program submitted for approval. Attached <br />19 is the 2022-2023 Strategic Wellness Plan as well as the budget submitted to our insurance pool that <br />20 was approved for reimbursement. <br />21 <br />1 <br />22 Employee wellness programs have been proven to benefit both employers and employees. Listed <br />23 below are key benefits of a wellness program. <br />24 <br />25 Increased Productivity: Wellness activities can increase productivity and performance as <br />26 employees feel more focused and motivated to complete tasks. <br />27 Adopt Healthy Behaviors: Employees can reduce their risk of sever health problems and <br />28 help prevent chronic disease leading to reduced cost for the city. <br />29 Improved Employee Retention: Wellness programs have been proven to have a positive <br />30 impact on employee retention. Successful programs help keep employees loyal and happy in <br />31 their jobs. <br />32 P OLICY O BJECTIVE <br />33 To promote an inclusive setting, awareness and understanding of whole health by creating a <br /> <br />1 https://www.edenhealth.com/blog/corporate-wellness- <br />programs/#:~:text=A%20well%2Dcurated%20wellness%20program,and%20help%20prevent%20chronic%20diseases. <br />Page 1 of 2 <br /> <br />