In addition to being one of the 2008 NorthCoast 99 winners and requesting to be considered for this award, all finalists for the Workplace Health & Safety Special Category Award must meet the following criteria before being considered for the award:

• They all provide their employees with education or programs on the following:
• Chronic disease management
• Physical fitness
• Mental health
• Nutrition
• They provide their employees access to health risk assessments
• They provide employees health coaching/counseling services
• They all offer incentives that support employee participation in wellness programs
• They all have written response plans that address the following:
  • Fire
• Medical emergencies (i.e. heart attack, seizures)
• Severe weather (i.e. tornado, snow, flood)
• Workplace injuries
• They all promote a safe workplace environment through the following:
• Business continuity/disaster recovery plan
• Emergency response training
• Safety training (i.e. proper use of tools, equipment, etc.)
• They all have written policies that address the following:
• Alcohol/Drug use/possession
• Discrimination
• Sexual harassment
• Workplace violence

Winners are chosen based on the company that demonstrates the most unique and innovative practices aimed at attracting, retaining, and motivating top performers.

Workplace Health & Safety Winner & Finalist Summaries

Workplace Health & Safety Winner: AmTrust Bank

Unique to this company: AmTrust Bank has instituted a lifeBalance initiative company-wide. This initiative not only includes a team of wellness professionals (a Social Worker, Health & Wellness Director, EAP Director, and Talent Advocate Director) but also includes several unique programs. Let Your Job Revolve Around Your Life, a wellness and work/life internal branding initiative encompasses flex work schedules, a free fitness center, on site counselor and wellness director, educational programs, and special events. A particularly unique attribute of this initiative is the lifeBalance Lounge, a comfortable spot to read, relax, play, or chat with friends, located in the lobby of its headquarters. The lounge has checker-board floors, ice cream parlor booths and fixtures, ping-pong, pool, and foosball tables, air hockey, basketball, a chill room for reading and relaxing, and hosts free massages twice a week. In addition, calm effectiveness training is provided to employees to help them maximize their focus on people and priorities that matter most in work and personal life. Onsite support groups led by experts including cancer care, parenting stress, and care giving are also available to employees. The Make Things Happen Challenge is another program AmTrust has added this year, focused on making healthy lifestyle changes on a daily basis rather than extreme workouts and diets to improve health and wellness. Participants complete an online health profile and earn points for lifestyle strategies such as exercising regularly, getting regular check-ups, and keeping a diet diary.

Workplace Health & Safety Finalist: Sterling Jewelers

Unique to this company: Sterling Jewelers' philosophy on wellness is to provide preventative tools and education to support its employees. As the Sterling Jeweler’s team members are predominantly women, several of their wellness programs are geared towards women’s health and needs. Sterling offers maternity assessment programs which promote healthy pregnancies early and help prevent premature birth. Moms receive 24/7 access to a nurse care manager as well as a variety of educational materials. Sterling provides a $300 savings bond in the name of the newborn upon completion of this program. Sterling also promotes a Go Red for Women initiative to share important information with team members about awareness, prevention, and treatment of heart disease, including a "Go Red Fashion for Your Heart” show featuring models (company team members) that have made a commitment to health lifestyles. In addition, onsite fitness programs include a certified fitness instructor is made available at no cost to team members and after work fitness classes include Tai Chi and boxing fitness sessions. Sterling sponsors major health communication events including raising awareness of specific health concerns and provides educational resources and screenings Health & Financial Fair, Family Life & Work Life Balance Fair, Benefit Expo, Learning Fair, Security Fair and Diversity Day. It also offers Cor-Health Plus (conducted by the Akron General Wellness Center), a 13-week program that provides nutrition and health instruction, assesses body fat, strength and flexibility, and offers on–site appointments with a fitness instructor. Sterling Jewelers also provides an all-inclusive smoking cessation program including participation in the Great American Smokeout event, free smoking cessation courses, nicotine replacement therapy, and phone counseling.

Workplace Health & Safety Finalist: EMH Regional Healthcare System

Unique to this company: EMH sponsors a weight loss program including dietary supplements, a fitness center membership, and workout instruction of $3,000 value to their employees. EMH provides health screenings monthly, two indoor walking paths, free flu shots, a smoke-free campus, and free smoking cessation classes. To promote a safe workplace environment, EMH has initiated several safety initiatives focused on eliminating violence. A Workplace Violent Prevention Committee is responsible for implementing the Workplace Violence Prevention Program which aims to reduce the risk associated with workplace violence and identification of safety and security risks. EMH utilizes a crime risk assessment tool which provides a numerical score of the risk of crime at any company affiliated site. EMH also participates in Mercury Challenge, a joint effort to work with healthcare institutions in Ohio on reducing or eliminating mercury. A Transitional Work Program is available for employees injured on the job, providing employment after the onset of a work related injury or illness and a Safety Topics Monthly publication provides employees safety tips for home and work.