The Wellness Allowance is available from August 2022. It replaces the no unplanned absence vouchers and the sports allowance, building on both to provide a holistic wellness benefit.
Wellness is the experience of overall health. It encompasses good mental, physical, financial, and social health. Examples of activities and items that come under the umbrella of wellness and the Wellness Allowance are shown in the appendix of this policy.
There are two pre-requisites to the scheme: the benefits employees purchase must be for themselves, and they must be something that employees can specifically set a goal for and report back on their progress.
This policy operates on the principle of trust and places the onus on employees to track their own progress. Therefore, no proof of payment will be required.
All permanent employees are eligible for the allowance from day one of their employment.
How to Apply
To receive the allowance, employees must complete the Wellness Application Form on the Cascade HR Portal. The form requires employees to plan out how they will use the Wellness Allowance over a 12-month period. It is mandatory for the employee to complete all questions on the form.
Once the application form is submitted HR will review the application and, if approved, the employee will receive the wellness allowance for up to 12-months.
If the employee requires the allowance for less than 12-months, it is the employee’s responsibility to inform us that the payment should end earlier. Please note that the monthly allowance is a fixed amount of £30 (or local equivalent), therefore if you are claiming the allowance, it is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that the money is spent as this policy intends.
Forms must be submitted on or before the 1st of the month to receive the allowance starting from that same month. If submitted after the 1st of the month, the allowance will be paid from the following month. Payments will not be backdated.
One month before the allowance ends employees will receive a notification to reapply for the allowance. Employees will then need to submit a new form.
If the new form is not submitted on time the allowance will stop until the form has been submitted. Payments will not be backdated.
Allowance
The Wellness Allowance is paid via payroll and is subject to any local taxes. The allowance is the same for all employees, based on location, regardless of which wellness activities they engage in. Please see the table below for the allowance for each office.
| | UK | Sri Lanka | India | UAE | Philippines |
| Monthly Allowance | 30 GBP | 3,000 LKR | 1,200 INR | 150 AED | 700 PHP |
* Allowance is not pro-rated for part-time employees
This is a monthly allowance and any balance for the year will not be paid if an employee leaves CISI, nor at the end of a 12-month period if the employee has not claimed the full allowance.
If an employee’s circumstances change and they will no longer use the allowance as planned, they should inform HR immediately.
Wellness Activity Examples
Examples of activities and items that the wellness allowance could be used for:
- Addiction assistance
- Chiropractic / Osteopathic care
- Evening classes
- Financial advice
- Fitness app(s)
- Fitness classes
- Fitness equipment
- Gym membership
- Health / wellness coaching
- Health magazines / books
- Healthy meal kits / dietary supplements
- Life coaching / therapy
- Massage
- Meditation – guided meditations can be purchased as standalone classes or through subscription products like Headspace, Calm and Unplug.
- Personal trainer
- Private medical check-up
- Recreational sports leagues
- Stress / sleep / relaxation apps
- Yoga classes
This is not an exhaustive list but gives guidance on what can be considered a wellness activity.
Wellness Plan Examples
Please do not provide personal details in your answers.
Please note that your form may contain a combination of multiple purchases and goals to explain how you plan to use the allowance. Below are some examples of what level of detail is and isn’t required.
Q&A
Q. I am due my no unplanned absence vouchers, will I still receive them?
A. The final no unplanned absence vouchers will be paid for the period July to December 2022.
Q. I forgot to apply by the deadline, can I backdate my allowance?
A. No, the wellness allowance payments will not be backdated.
Q. I am currently receiving the sports allowance, will I automatically get the wellness benefit.
A. No, you will need to apply for the wellness benefit. We encourage all employees currently receiving the sports allowance to transfer to the wellness allowance by 1 August 2022 to receive the allowance in the August payroll.