CU Begins Giving $$ To Employees Who Work Out

DENVER (CBS4) - Under a new program at the University of Colorado, some employees are getting paid to work out.

The program is called Be Colorado, and employees who meet the criteria will get paid $75 every three months.

To be eligible employees have to be full time, have to be enrolled in the company's health insurance plan and have to to stay active in a gym or outdoors for 30 minutes during a day. They would have to do such a workout on 12 days out of the month, and can keep track of their movement through an app.

The program just got going this week.

"We're excited about it because we think it's going to make a significant impact on our health care costs as well as the health of our employees," said university spokesman Ken McConnellogue.

Jill Pollock, an employee, is the brainchild behind the program. She believes the self-insured university will actually save the company money in the long run.

"I don't want to be a drain on anybody as I age so I need to be as healthy and I can be," she said.

CU officials said health insurance premiums are not affected for those who choose not to participate.