A recent article appearing in the Los Angeles Times addressed how some employers, nationwide, are attempting to contain the sky-rocketing costs of providing health insurance benefits by penalizing employees who do not meet certain arbitrary health standards. Some employers referenced in the article go so far as forcing employees to pay money to the employer if they weigh a certain amount, or if their cholesterol or blood pressure levels are not optimal. In this helpcast, Host Helene Wasserman of Littler Mendelson, P.C. uses this article as a springboard to discuss how employers can (and cannot) legally address health concerns in the workplace. Obviously, a healthy workforce is a more productive workforce. And, while some incentives provided for some reasons are lawful, others are not. Addressed in this helpcast are the recent HIPAA regulations regarding wellness plans that can provide appropriate insurance cost-containment measures for employers seeking to lower costs while proactively improving the health and welfare of their employees. Less