Clarifications

APPLICABILITY

Indicator metrics apply to all of the following groups (see definition in General Clarifications):

• Employees
• Contractors
• Interns
  

CDC WORKPLACE HEALTH MODEL

The Just program uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Workplace Health Model as a framework to assess the progress of physical health promotion. The CDC Workplace Health Model provides a methodical framework for developing, implementing, and evaluating workplace physical health and safety programs. While this framework was developed in the U.S., it can be used by organizations worldwide. The CDC offers a systematic and stepwise process of building a workplace health promotion program that emphasizes four main steps:

• Workplace Health Assessment;
• Planning the Program;
• Implementing the Program; and
• Determine Impact through Evaluation.
  

When completing Step 1 of the Workplace Health Model, organizations do not need to use the exact questions included within guidance from CDC sources. The goal of Step 1 is for organizations to seek employee input before a program is implemented to ensure that it is something that employees want and need to improve and support their physical health. See Resources for sample assessment questions.

ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENT

Many different forms of ergonomic assessment and associated tools exist. For the purposes of Just, organizations select an assessment tool (or suite of tools) that best addresses the specific industry or job context. Assessments can be conducted in person or virtually (e.g., remote employees complete an ergonomic assessment and education checklist as part of their onboarding process), depending on the organization’s context. See Resources for further resources on this topic.

ERGONOMIC EQUIPMENT

Ergonomic equipment includes anything needed to ensure employees are able to maintain physical health while performing their specific job functions. Examples could include, but are not limited to, chairs, desks, adjustable workstations, foot rests, wrist or back supports, ergonomic tech equipment (e.g., keyboard, mouse, laptop stand, etc.), and more. Organizations may either provide ergonomically appropriate equipment directly to employees or reimburse employees who purchase the equipment themselves.

HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS

Program components accessible through employer-provided health insurance plans may contribute to the Indicator metric thresholds.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCING PHYSICAL SAFETY

Organizations have the opportunity to enhance employees’ physical safety by taking actions beyond the minimum legal requirements around safety provisions. Examples of actions for this metric could include, but are not limited to:

• Providing enhanced safety equipment;
• Conducting peer safety audits;
• Establishing protocols to facilitate employee safety for after-hours travel (e.g., employees can call a taxi to transport them home when leaving the office after a certain time of night);
• Integrating safety minutes into regular meeting or communication rhythms;
• Mandating regular water and/or heat breaks;
• Making employee safety a component of every manager’s job;
• Budgeting for safety-related upgrades to facilities, tools, and equipment; and
• Budgeting for safety training.
  

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PHYSICAL WELLNESS

Organizations have the opportunity to enhance employees’ physical health by encouraging and facilitating physical wellness. Provisions must be accessible to all applicable members of the workforce, and organizations must provide a means for modifications or accommodations. Examples of provisions for this metric could include, but are not limited to:

• Access to an on-site gym;
• Subsidies for local gym memberships;
• Subsidies for purchasing or renting fitness equipment;
• Facilities and infrastructure to encourage active commuting;
• Virtual workout classes;
• Allowing employees to use work time for physical wellness or exercise breaks; and
• Providing general wellness stipends for employees to use for whatever they determine best supports their physical wellness needs.
  

Living Future encourages organizations to select physical wellness facilitators that are inclusive and responsive to employee needs.

ORGANIZATIONS WITH MULTIPLE LOCATIONS

For organizations pursuing a Just label covering multiple locations, workplace health programs, whether the CDC model or the WELL Building or Fitwel certifications, must be implemented at all locations covered to receive recognition for this Indicator. If implementation has progressed to different degrees among the locations, the location with the lowest degree of implementation will determine the level achieved for the organization as a whole.

ORGANIZATIONS WITH REMOTE WORKERS

If 50% or more of an organization’s employees primarily work remotely, the organization is ineligible to use a building certification path and must follow the general compliance path using the CDC Workplace Health Model.

PHYSICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

In addition to addressing other aspects of this Indicator, an organization’s Physical Health and Safety policy must adhere to the applicable Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) standards (or a relevant international equivalent) for the organization’s industry, local government worker safety requirements, relevant ISO standards, or the International Labour Organization (ILO) standards on occupational safety and health—whichever relevant requirements are most stringent.

PHYSICAL SAFETY ASSESSMENT

For the purposes of Just, organizations should use an assessment tool (or suite of tools) that best addresses the safety- and hazard-related risks specific to the industry and/or physical context of the organization and its working locations. For example, while manufacturers might complete facility-specific safety inspection checklists, all-remote organizations might conduct an assessment of employee needs while traveling for work-related purposes. See Resources for further resources on this topic.

WELL HEALTH-SAFETY RATING

Organizations with the WELL Health-Safety Rating (HSR) alone do not qualify for using the WELL Building Certification alternative compliance path. The WELL HSR and WELL Building Certification differ in scope, focus, and requirements, and this alternative compliance specifically aligns with the latter.

WORKPLACE WELLNESS PROGRAMS

While comprehensive workplace wellness programs often include components that can effectively facilitate improved employee well-being, Living Future discourages organizations from implementing programs that include financial incentives or discounts for meeting a certain threshold of exercise or other health-related achievement. These approaches do not align with the Just program’s vision due to being discriminatory and exclusionary toward people who do not have the capability to participate.

Additionally, we strongly discourage organization-wide programs that focus on weight loss, as they perpetuate weight- and physical appearance-based discrimination and bias, among other harmful outcomes.⁶²-⁶³ Furthermore, there is little evidence to show that these types of programs have positive long-term effects.⁶⁴

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⁶² Tovar, V. (2021, May 13). 4 Reasons Weight-Loss Challenges Don’t Belong At Work. Forbes. Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/virgietovar/2021/05/13/4-reasons-weight-loss-challenges-dont-belong-at-work/?sh=70d06ada9041.

⁶³ Roller, A. (2023, January 5). Weight Loss Challenges are Out: 4 New Wellness Initiatives Employees Will Love. HR Morning. Retrieved March 13, 2024, from https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/weight-loss-challenges-are-out/.

⁶⁴ Lewis, A., Khanna, V., & Montrose, S. (2015). Employers Should Disband Employee Weight Control Programs. The American Journal of Managed Care. 21(2), e91–e94. Retrieved March 15, 2024, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25880492/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25880492/.