New legislation will establish a state grant to implement workplace wellness programs for small businesses.
Gov. Scott Walker signed the legislation Thursday at Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire, according to a statement. The bill authorizes the state to subsidize up to 30 percent of the cost of establishing new worker health programs.
“Workplace wellness has a huge impact on the morale and productivity of a business,” Walker said in the release. “I encourage businesses across the state to take advantage of all the opportunities workplace wellness offers.”
Businesses that employ fewer than 50 employees and do not already have a wellness program will be eligible for the grant, which will be administered by the Department of Health Services.
The statement cited an estimate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that every $1 million invested in workplace wellness programs yields $3 to $7 million in savings.
The bill passed both houses of the state Legislature with near unanimous support.
