Press release:

The city of SeaTac recently earned a WellCity Award from the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) Employee Benefit Trust, one of 82 cities to receive the award. The award is based on meeting stringent best practice standards in employee health promotion. This is the city's seventh consecutive year earning the award.

"We pride ourselves on providing a workplace that prioritizes health and wellness for those who serve our citizens," said Todd Cutts, city manager. "And we can all appreciate the financial savings this incentive provides our city's general fund, allowing us to invest our taxpayer's money in other important services."

Award recipients receive a 2 percent premium discount on their Regence BlueShield or Asuris Northwest Health medical coverage for employee & spouses in 2012. The city will save an estimated $30,000 in general fund budget expenditures in 2012 for medical insurance premiums.

"While the 2 percent premium discount is a considerable motivation in times of strained budgets, the rewards go beyond the monetary savings," said Mike McCarty, AWC CEO. "A city that works on employee health sees increases in productivity, morale and employee retention, and decreases in absenteeism and injuries."