Hammond School Board Approves Employee Wellness Incentive Program
Published December 18, 2024 at 6:50 PM CST
The School City of Hammond has introduced a wellness program that offers financial incentives to employees, regardless of teacher preferences.
The plan, approved during a recent school board meeting, will reward school employees with up to $800 annually for participating in biometric wellness screenings and confirming their tobacco- and nicotine-free status. Those enrolled in a family insurance plan may receive double the incentive.
Opposition emerged from member Rina Horgan of the Hammond Teachers’ Federation, who criticized the timing of the incentive proposal. She argued, ‘Changing contracts outside of our negotiation window is both illegal and unethical.’ Horgan emphasized that school employees deserve better treatment, highlighting that they matter.
The wellness initiative was included in the existing teacher contract, but the financial incentives were introduced only after the district saw a spike in proposed health insurance premiums, according to Chief Financial Officer Eric Kurtz. He stated that the incentives are meant to alleviate these increases set to take effect in January while fostering employee health.
Kurtz remarked, ‘With the wellness incentives in place, for an employee on a family plan, the increase is about a thousand dollars. Without that, the increase is closer to $3,000.’
Meanwhile, School Attorney Monica Conrad assured board members that the new incentive complies with state law, stating, ‘Supplemental payments do not need to be negotiated.’
However, board member Carlotta Blake-King disagreed, expressing her concerns that the incentive constitutes a negotiable item. ‘You can’t put a negotiable item in front of me as a board member, and you have negotiated outside your window,’ she said.
Indiana law prevents the reopening of negotiations with the teachers’ federation until next September, sparking further debate among board members. Member Cindy Murphy urged for immediate relief, saying, ‘You should say ‘yes’ for the custodians… They need this relief until we can figure out what we’re going to do with insurance for the following year.’
Ultimately, the wellness incentive program was approved by a 3-1 vote, with Blake-King opposing the measure. The program will now be reviewed by the Indiana Distressed Unit Appeal Board since School City of Hammond is under a corrective action plan, with potential costs estimated at $878,478 if all eligible employees participate.
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