This letter explains to the employees of the fictional Fix It, Inc. the changes being made to their healthcare plan. By first focusing on the positive benefits before describing the programs being cut, the letter shows an understanding of the intended audience and an ability to write persuasively in a business setting. This letter was written for Principles of Professional Writing, Summer 2017.
TO: All Fix It, Inc. Employees
FROM: Steven J. Tietjen, Benefits Assistant
SUBJECT: Improvements and Changes to Health Plans
DATE: June 25, 2017
Dear Employees:
Fix It, Inc. is committed to caring for our employees, whose health is vital to the hard work that ensures the company’s success. Beginning August 1, 2017, Fix It, Inc. will introduce new individual and family healthcare plans under the Affordable Care Act and implement changes to its Exercise and Wellness program. These improvements will give employees more options and help lower health costs for the majority of Fix It, Inc. employees.
The new rates for individual and family healthcare plans will be 15% lower than previous rates and will provide quality care while reducing out-of-pocket expenses. To give employees more options within these plans, the Exercise and Wellness program will be discontinued. The weight loss and smoking-cessation classes that were part of this program can be added as additional benefits to the new individual and family healthcare plans for $155 per year per benefit. For example, adding both benefits would cost $310/year or less than $26/month. Employees will now be able to schedule and attend these sessions at their convenience. We hope that this will allow more employees to take advantage of these helpful benefits.
To learn more about the new plan rates and how to add benefits to your plan, visit the Health Benefits portal at http://www.fixit.com/employee/benefits or contact the Benefits Department.
In place of the exercise classes offered through the Exercise and Wellness Program, Fix It, Inc. has partnered with Equinox to give employees a discounted monthly membership rate of $35. A representative from Equinox will be visiting the Fix It, Inc. office to answer questions and help employees take advantage of this discounted rate.
We realize that these changes will have an impact on our employees and their families. We encourage your feedback as we begin to implement these changes. In the coming weeks, we will hold a company-wide seminar to explain the new rates in detail and answer all of your concerns.
Thank you, as always, for all your hard work and for the valuable contributions each of you make to the success of Fix It, Inc.
Best,
Steven J. Tietjen
Benefits Assistant
Steven Jude Tietjen 