SHS Workplace Health & Wellness Programs 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An employer wants to add a financial incentive to its wellness program for employees who complete a smoking cessation course. Under HIPAA nondiscrimination rules, the maximum incentive allowed is:
- 10% of the total cost of employee-only coverage
- 30% of the cost of employee-only coverage (50% for tobacco-related programs) (Correct answer)
- 50% of the employee's annual salary
- There is no legal cap on wellness incentives
Correct answer: 30% of the cost of employee-only coverage (50% for tobacco-related programs)
HIPAA allows up to 30% of coverage cost for general wellness incentives, raised to 50% specifically for tobacco cessation programs.
Question 2: Which program design element is most associated with sustaining long-term employee participation in wellness initiatives?
- One-time annual health fairs
- Continuous communication, leadership support, and varied programming (Correct answer)
- Mandatory participation enforced by HR
- Focusing exclusively on high-risk employee subgroups
Correct answer: Continuous communication, leadership support, and varied programming
Sustained participation requires ongoing communication, visible leadership modeling, and diverse programming to meet varied employee needs.
Question 3: A company implements an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). What distinguishes an EAP from a general wellness program?
- EAPs focus on physical fitness only
- EAPs provide confidential counseling and referral services for personal and work-related problems (Correct answer)
- EAPs are exclusively funded by employees via payroll deduction
- EAPs require a physician referral to access services
Correct answer: EAPs provide confidential counseling and referral services for personal and work-related problems
EAPs offer confidential assessment, short-term counseling, and referral services addressing personal issues such as mental health, substance use, and family problems.
Question 4: When designing a wellness program for a culturally diverse workforce, a Safety and Health Specialist should prioritize:
- Using only English-language materials to ensure consistency
- Culturally tailored communication and inclusive program options (Correct answer)
- Limiting program topics to physical health only
- Requiring identical participation from all employee groups
Correct answer: Culturally tailored communication and inclusive program options
Culturally tailored approaches improve accessibility and engagement among diverse employee populations by addressing language and cultural health beliefs.
Question 5: Which factor most strongly predicts the success of a workplace wellness program, according to research?
- The size of the wellness budget
- Senior leadership commitment and visible participation (Correct answer)
- The number of health screenings offered annually
- Access to on-site fitness facilities
Correct answer: Senior leadership commitment and visible participation
Research consistently shows that visible senior leadership support and participation is the strongest predictor of wellness program success.
Question 6: A needs assessment for a new workplace wellness program should include:
- Only employee survey responses
- Analysis of health claims data, absenteeism rates, and employee health interest surveys (Correct answer)
- Feedback from the wellness vendor only
- Review of competitor companies' wellness program designs
Correct answer: Analysis of health claims data, absenteeism rates, and employee health interest surveys
A comprehensive needs assessment combines objective data (claims, absenteeism) with subjective employee input to identify priority health issues.
Question 7: Presenteeism in the context of workplace health programs refers to:
- Employees arriving early to complete extra work
- Reduced productivity resulting from employees working while ill or distracted (Correct answer)
- High attendance rates at wellness program events
- Timely submission of health risk assessments
Correct answer: Reduced productivity resulting from employees working while ill or distracted
Presenteeism describes the productivity loss that occurs when employees are physically present but not fully functioning due to illness or other health issues.
SHS Workplace Health & Wellness Programs 3
An employer wants to add a financial incentive to its wellness program for employees who complete a smoking cessation course.
Under HIPAA nondiscrimination rules, the maximum incentive allowed is: