Employers are trying just about everything to get employers on the wellness track: rewards and punishments abound, depending on how much you weigh, whether you smoke or not, and how well your biometric readings are for cholesterol. When you accepted your job, did you really think you and your employer would be having this conversation?
According to a survey conducted by Employer Benefits News, this is all about employee accountability and the need for engagement in one’s own health. The reason is obvious — rising health care costs, which increased by about 7% in 2010 for employers offering group plans. Average annual premiums for a family have topped $10,000/year with about $2,660 of the cost shifted to the employee.
This is tricky business. Some companies are taking a hard look at hiring people with BMI’s over 25 or who smoke because of their potential health claims. It’s illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities, but someone who is overweight (for whatever reason) has no legal footing.
I’m certainly not advocating smoking cigarettes, not exercising or having poor nutrition that leads to being overweight. I raise this because it’s a relatively new phenomenon for employees to have to share so much of their personal lives with their employers, and health is very personal. But if your employer is responsible for paying 80% of the bill for your health decisions, then maybe they do have a right to punish you for bad health choices.
What do you think?
