National Business Group on Health Honors Paychex with Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Award

National Business Group on Health Honors Paychex with Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Award

Fourth straight Gold Award for payroll and human resource services provider

ROCHESTER, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- For the fourth year running, Paychex, Inc., a leading provider of payroll, human resource, and employee benefits solutions for America's small- and medium-sized businesses, has been honored by the National Business Group on Health, a non-profit association of large U.S. employers, for its commitment and dedication to promoting a healthy workplace and encouraging employees to support and maintain healthy lifestyles.

Paychex was among 66 U.S. employers that received the 2012 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award at a Leadership Summit sponsored by the National Business Group on Health's Institute on Innovation in Workforce Well-being. Paychex received a Gold Award for its Active Health wellness program, a comprehensive initiative offered to 12,000+ Paychex employees nationwide.

"To be recognized as a leader in employee wellness is a tremendous honor," said Laurie Zaucha, Paychex vice president of human resources and organizational development. "Paychex has a longstanding commitment to wellness, and we're proud that our program has evolved to include a variety of resources to help our employees be as healthy as they can be - all in a fun, interactive, and supportive environment."

The Paychex Active Health program is integrated into the company's medical benefits in a way that helps employees appreciate the relationship between their lifestyle, their health, and their health care costs. This integration gives employees who are engaged in their health access to the best medical coverage. More than 90% of Paychex employees participate in the program, which has popular, employee-friendly features such as:

• a dedicated wellness website rich with tools, information, and interactive activities

• a points program that offers a cash reward for healthy behaviors

• free onsite biometric health screenings and flu shots

• free access to a best-in-class tobacco cessation program for employees and eligible dependents

• professional health coaching and online health improvement programs

• volunteer employee wellness champions at each of the company's 100+ offices nationwide, who coordinate wellness activities at the local level

• team-based worksite programs that offer fun, competition, and peer-to-peer encouragement

Paychex director of benefits Jake Flaitz said the company's wellness program is yielding impressive financial outcomes as well. "Since Active Health was launched in 2008, the rate of increase in our health care costs has leveled off. The impact is significant - a typical Paychex employee with family coverage is saving about $800 a year in payroll contributions over what the cost would have been if Active Health hadn't been implemented."

Paychex is also beginning to see signs of better employee health. Aggregate health screening results indicate improvements in cholesterol and glucose levels, and 65% of Paychex employees who responded to an internal survey said their health has improved as a result of the Active Health program.

Helen Darling, president and CEO of the National Business Group on Health, said, "We are very pleased to recognize Paychex for its ongoing commitment to providing lifestyle improvement programs that encourage healthy lifestyles for their employees. Paychex and its management team should be proud for their dedication and recognizing the importance of promoting and maintaining a healthy workforce."

Gold-level winners of the Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award were honored for creating cultural and environmental changes that support employees who are committed to long-term behavior changes.

About Paychex

Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAYX) is a leading provider of payroll, human resource, and benefits outsourcing solutions for small- to medium-sized businesses. The company offers comprehensive payroll services, including payroll processing, payroll tax administration, and employee pay services, including direct deposit, check signing, and Readychex^®. Human resource services include 401(k) plan recordkeeping, section 125 plans, a professional employer organization, time and attendance solutions, and other administrative services for business. A variety of business insurance products, including group health and workers' compensation, are made available through Paychex Insurance Agency, Inc. Paychex was founded in 1971. With headquarters in Rochester, New York, the company has more than 100 offices serving approximately 567,000 payroll clients as of May 31, 2012. For more information about Paychex and our products, visit www.paychex.com.

About the National Business Group on Health

The National Business Group on Health is the nation's only non-profit membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health care and related benefits issues, and to being the voice for large employers on national health care issues. The Business Group, whose 345 members include 64 of the Fortune 100, identifies, develops, and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide health coverage for more than 55 million U.S. workers, retirees, and their families. For more information, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org.

Stay Connected with Paychex

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Media:
Paychex, Inc.
Becky Cania, 585-387-6337
Corporate Communications Manager
bcania@paychex.com
Twitter: @PaychexNews

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