Huh? Surely you understand that there's no difference between calling something a "cut" or a "bonus" when the result is the same?

Perception my friend. Perception is everything.

We give a tax cut to people with kids to encourage families in the US. How would people react if we changed it to a no-kid penalty paid by all people without children? Same thing right? But we would react very different to it.

This is a glass half empty, half full argument. Honestly, I am taking the view that "wellness programs" should be mandatory fun. Why? Just look at social programs like social security, garbage collection, public schools, welfare ... I mean we all pay into a system even when we are healthy, wealthy, and happy .. but there comes a time, when we won't be. The buy in ideology here, is what is good for the goose is good for the gander. Healthcare costs are rising for every company out there. It's _not_ free. When someone joins a wellness program they are doing so for a benefit. But .. as a company it is insuring that people are doing their best to keep the social healthcare system that the company purchased costs down for everyone. You are doing this for your fellow co-workers, not you. It's being caring enough to say hey .. I'm working hard to keep myself in the best shape I can, so I don't have to die and cost our company money when they negotiation on the bulk for ALL of us. This is not a company thing, it's a fellow-man thing. This is about as close to universal healthcare as you are going to see and it's a good thing.