Around the water cooler: Firm’s wellness program

Each week I will highlight a different case or legal happening, and solicit your thoughts on the impact of it in the legal community.

In 2007, average employer health insurance premiums increased by 6.1 percent, according to the National Coalition of Health Care.

However, with the inception of a firm-wide Wellness Program, Ungaretti & Harris’ annual premium increase for 2008 was under 3 percent — an improvement over the double-digit increases the firm had experienced in the past.

At this time last year, Ungaretti & Harris rolled out a Wellness Program to combat the rise in cost of health-care premiums. The Wellness Program aimed to do so by motivating and rewarding employees for increasing their level of physical activity, participating in health-screening tests, practicing healthy behaviors and expanding their health and wellness knowledge.

A Wellness Committee was formed to implement the program.

The Wellness Program was launched with the distribution of pedometers and materials that included exercise tips, nutrition guides and logs, general health-screening guidelines, blood pressure information, and healthy recipes.

Also included was information on the Wellness Rewards Program designed to help employees keep track of their healthy activities, which can then be submitted for points toward rewards like $100 health food store gift certificates, fitness equipment, or free healthy lunches prepared by firm chefs.

Throughout the year, yoga and Pilates classes were offered and held at the firm’s Chicago office for employees at a discounted rate. Attorneys and staff learned from guest presenters who led “Lunch ‘n Learn” seminars on topics ranging from general health tips, nutrition, safety, and exercising tips from a trainer- all while dining on complimentary healthy lunches.

Julie Treumann, an associate and co-chair of the wellness committee, said they hoped the wellness program would reduce insurance claims, create an environment where people are conscious about their health, and bring the staff and lawyers together through this effort.

Treumann said the firm also offers legal advice to those clients who are also considering starting wellness programs. Certain legal issues exist involving things like waivers, financial rewards, and contests.

“It has been really successful,” Treumann said about the firm’s wellness program. “And it’s been kind of fun to see how many people get involved.

“Even when we look at other companies doing similar things, we are at the forefront, especially for law firms in Chicago.”