Health Insurance
Employees push back against wellness programs requiring they get medical checks or pay fees
In the absence of clear federal rules on how employers can incentivize health insurance programs, a lawsuit from Yale University employees puts a spotlight on measures that penalize some workers.
Ken AlltuckerUSA TODAY
Like many large employers, Yale University gave its clerical, food service and maintenance workers a choice: Get a routine health check or pay a $25 weekly fee.
But workers alleged in a federal lawsuit the university's participate-or-pay employee wellness program violated two federal laws. In a preliminary settlement approved Tuesday by U.S. District Court in Connecticut, the university agreed to pay nearly $1.3 million to workers and attorneys and won’t assess the $25 weekly fee for four years, or until federal law or regulations change to allow such a program.
Attorneys will have 45 days to notify about 6,300 eligible workers and their spouses about the settlement terms. A hearing to approve the final settlement is scheduled Nov. 22.