Workers' Compensation

Ohio BWC: Workplace Wellness Grant Program

Ella Baker
Workplace Wellness
Reading time 4 Mins
Published on Oct 16
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Monetary assistance to make your wellness program goals a reality

The Workplace Wellness Grant Program offered by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) provides employers with monetary assistant to help start their workplace wellness program. By addressing health risk factors and improving the overall health of the workforce, the BWC hopes to be able to help control the escalating costs of workers’ compensation claims. Learn more about how the Workplace Wellness Grant Program can help your company establish a wellness program to improve the overall health of your employees.

Wellness programs

An effective workplace wellness program can offer huge benefits to your company and your employees. By helping your employees achieve their wellness goals, you can realize worker’s compensation cost-savings, increased productivity, and many other rewards. Like any other benefit or incentive program, the long-term success of these programs lies with employee buy-in and actual support from management.

Eligibility and participation requirements

Employers wishing to participate in the Workplace Wellness Grant Program must meet the following criteria in order to apply:

  • Be a state-fund employer
  • Current on monies owed to BWC – not more than 45 days past due
  • Maintain active coverage — not more than 40 days lapsed in the prior 12 months
  • Employer cannot currently have a wellness program, as defined by the BWC:
    • A wellness program consists of a tool that measures health-risk factors, plus programs designed to address those health-risk factors. If the employer does not have the tool or the programs, or lacks both, he or she qualifies for grant funds. If the employer uses a tool and designs programs based on the results of the tool, he or she does not qualify.

Application process

  1. Complete online application.
  2. Take online safety self-assessment.
  3. Download and mail the program contract to BWC Wellness Grant Program 13430 Yarmouth Drive Pickerington, OH 43147

As a program participant, your company must annually report certain data for all participating employees obtained from health-risk appraisals and biometric data to the BWC to assist in measuring program effectiveness. For each program year, a year-end case study must be submitted explaining what you have done to create and implement your wellness program.

Next Steps

Within three months of program application approval, employers must complete the following steps:

  • Contract with a wellness program vendor
  • Submit a copy of the vendor contract to BWC
  • Complete health risk appraisals and biometric screenings
  • Submit aggregate health risk appraisal and biometric data to BWC
  • Submit required employee data
  • Notify the third-party vendor to provide a copy of the aggregate data report directly to BWC.

To assist employees with identifying and contracting with a wellness program provider, the BWC has provided guidance on vendor selection as well a list of vendors across the state. You can also contact your Ohio BWC third-party administrator for additional guidance on selecting the right wellness program vendor for your company. Be sure to bring a copy of the program application and data collection requirements with you when meeting with potential vendors to ensure that they are able to meet all of the program requirements.

Funding

Employers participating in the Workplace Wellness Grant Program receive $300 per participating employee in the program, up to $15,000 over the course of the four-year program period. The breakdown of funds dispersal is as follows:

[fusion_table]

YearDollar Amount
Year 1$100
Year 2$75
Year 3$75
Year 4$50
Total$300

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Program funds are to be used to fund the programs and activities designed by your third-party vendor, including:

  • Health risk appraisals
  • Biometric screenings
  • Smoking cessation classes which may include smoking patches
  • Weight management classes
  • Weight loss challenges
  • Exercise classes
  • Nutrition classes
  • Walking programs
  • Educational materials for the classes
  • Lunch and learns
  • Disease prevention training

Workplace Wellness Grant Program and Sheakley

Effective workplace wellness programs can have positive health outcomes for employees. Such programs require a commitment from you, the employer, to ensure that employees participate and are able to get the most benefit from the program. Receive your no-cost analysis from Sheakley today to learn more and discover if the Workplace Wellness Grant Program is the right choice for your company. Just complete the AC-3 and one of our Workers’ Compensation experts will be in contact soon.

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