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Waupaca council approves city wellness portal and biometric screenings for employees
Summary
The Waupaca Common Council voted unanimously to contract with a wellness vendor to restore biometric screening and a fitness rewards program for full-time employees and enrolled spouses; the program will cost about $8,000 in 2025 and is voluntary.
The Waupaca Common Council on Feb. 4 voted to enter an agreement with a wellness vendor to restore employee biometric screening and a wellness-portal rewards program.
Finance Director Stephanie Reif told the council the contract would restore health risk assessments and an on-site biometric screening program through a wellness portal identified in the staff memo. "Biometric screening is designed to help identify potential risks early and offer the opportunity to take preventative action," Reif said. She said participation is not mandatory and that the program would be offered to all full-time employees and spouses who are currently on the city's health plan.
The proposal includes a wellness rewards program that offers incentives for participation in challenges and use of fitness trackers. Reif said the cost of the program is about $8,000 and "falls well within our budget for 2025, which is $20,000." She also said the vendor currently runs the city’s employee assistance program and this contract would be an addition to that relationship.
Councilmember Corey Nagel asked whether requiring participation would lower the city's health-insurance costs. Reif replied that participation cannot be mandated and noted earlier legal advice to avoid financial penalties tied to participation. "We can't really mandate it. It's just not ethical, I guess, is the best way to put it," she said.
Councilmember Eric Olsen moved to approve the agreement and Colin Dykstra seconded. The motion passed on a roll-call vote with nine ayes.
The contract restores a previously paused screening program and is intended to provide a data-driven, preventive approach to employee wellness while remaining voluntary for participants. The city staff said they will follow up on whether part-time employees could be included in future iterations of the program.
Details not specified in the meeting packet include the vendor's exact legal name and any ongoing annual cost beyond 2025.
