11.4 Health Services and Benefits (C06), New Parent Support (C08), New Mother Support (C09), Family Support (C10), Civic Engagement (C11) & Accessibility (C13)
Key Takeaways
- C06 Health Services and Benefits is worth 4 points and requires a health benefits plan covering ten service categories for eligible employees and their designated dependents, or a community immunity flu vaccine program.
- C08 New Parent Support awards up to 3 points on a ladder pairing paid primary caregiver leave of 12, 18 or 30 weeks with paid non-primary caregiver leave of 2, 3 or 4 weeks.
- C09 New Mother Support requires paid pumping breaks of at least 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, or two to three pumping sessions per eight-hour workday, plus pump coverage or at least 50% subsidy.
- C10 Family Support requires at least three childcare provisions, at least 12 weeks of family leave paid at 75% or higher for care of a relative with a serious health condition, and bereavement support.
- C11 Civic Engagement requires at least two engagement provisions such as 16 hours of paid volunteer time annually, and a public community space of at least 2,000 ft2 (186 m2) or weekly meeting space for at least 10 people.
11.4 Health Services and Benefits (C06), New Parent Support (C08), New Mother Support (C09), Family Support (C10), Civic Engagement (C11) & Accessibility (C13)
Core Exam Takeaway: This is the densest cluster of numbers in the Community concept. Anchor on: C08's 12/18/30 weeks primary paired with 2/3/4 weeks non-primary, 40 weeks total parental leave, 75% of salary, C09's 15–20 minutes every 2–3 hours, C10's 12 weeks family leave at 75%, C11's 16 hours paid volunteer time and 2,000 ft² (186 m²) community space, and C13's six universal design categories.
Feature C06: Health Services and Benefits — Optimization (4 pt / WELL Core 2 pt)
Intent: support the overall health and well-being of individuals and their families by offering comprehensive health benefits, policies and services.
C06 Part 1 — Promote Health Benefits (2 pt / Core 1 pt)
Option 1: Health benefits plan. Available to all eligible employees and their designated dependents — spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling — at no cost or subsidized, including ten service categories:
- Medical care 2. Dental care 3. Vision care 4. Mental health and substance use services 5. Sexual and reproductive health services, including OB-GYN services and STI testing and treatment 6. Medication/prescription coverage 7. Essential immunizations based on region 8. Preventive screenings and biometric assessments 9. Tobacco cessation programs 10. Infectious disease testing — tuberculosis, malaria, COVID-19 — during a regional or global outbreak, epidemic or pandemic declared by a public health agency such as the WHO
Plus (b) confidential benefits consultations with clearly identified and qualified support staff.
Option 2: Community immunity. One vaccine programme at no cost to regular occupants: an annual on-site seasonal influenza vaccine starting at least one month prior to peak flu season in the project region, or health insurance coverage or a voucher for flu vaccination including paid time during the workday to receive it. The programme must be accompanied by a seasonal flu prevention campaign that alerts and incentivizes occupants and educates them on the health reasons to vaccinate, good hand hygiene and cough etiquette, and instructs them to stay home with flu-like symptoms.
C06 Part 2 — Offer On-Demand Health Services (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt)
Health services provided for all eligible employees at no cost or subsidized, on-site or in person (and by extension remotely).
[!TIP] Option 2 is the cheap route into a 4-point feature. A flu vaccination programme plus a prevention campaign is far less costly than restructuring a benefits plan around ten service categories, and it earns the same Part 1 points. The one-month-before-peak-season timing requirement is the detail to remember, because influenza vaccination delivered after peak season provides little population benefit.
Feature C08: New Parent Support — Optimization (3 pt / WELL Core 1.5 pt)
Intent: provide support for new parents to properly care for themselves and their children.
C08 Part 1 — Offer New Parent Leave (3 pt / Core 1.5 pt)
Option 1: Parental leave — a policy for all eligible employees:
- (a) At least 40 weeks of parental leave offered to the designated primary caregiver and/or the birthing parent during any 12-month period, usable non-consecutively during pregnancy or within the first three years of a child's life.
- (b) Some portion of that leave is paid per the table below. Paid leave must be separate from other types of leave such as sick leave or PTO, paid at 75% or higher of the employee's full salary or wages, and cover benefits.
- (c) At least two weeks of paid parental leave for the non-primary caregiver per the table, separate from other leave, paid at the employee's full salary or wages and covering benefits.
| Weeks of paid primary caregiver leave | Weeks of paid non-primary caregiver leave | Points (Core) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| At least 12 weeks | AND | At least 2 weeks | 1 (0.5) |
| At least 18 weeks | AND | At least 3 weeks | 2 (1) |
| At least 30 weeks | AND | At least 4 weeks | 3 (1.5) |
Option 2: Parental support policies. At least two of: a policy covering part-time options (ramp-back programs), work-from-home flexibility or flexible schedules; communications to expecting parents about leave policies and the positive health impacts of parental leave; a coaching program, counseling or other resources to help employees transition back from leave; and training for managers on working with returning employees.
[!IMPORTANT] Note the pay-rate asymmetry: primary caregiver paid leave must be at 75% or higher of full salary, while non-primary caregiver paid leave must be at the employee's full salary or wages. And note that the 40 weeks in (a) is the total leave entitlement — paid and unpaid combined — while the table governs only the paid portion. Both numbers are examinable and they are frequently conflated.
Feature C09: New Mother Support — Optimization (3 pt / WELL Core 1.5 pt)
Intent: provide spaces and policies that encourage and support breastfeeding.
C09 Part 1 — Offer Workplace Breastfeeding Support (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt)
Option 1: Pumping support for eligible employees:
- (a) Paid break times for pumping, at least 15–20 minutes every 2–3 hours (or 2–3 pumping sessions per eight-hour workday), with adjustments as necessary to meet the needs of individuals.
- (b) One-time coverage or a subsidy of at least 50% for the purchase of a portable breast pump, and/or availability of a hospital-grade electric pump for multiple users.
Further parts address dedicated lactation rooms with supportive amenities, travel accommodations and resources to help mothers initiate and sustain breastfeeding.
[!TIP] Lactation rooms connect to the Sound concept. S01 Part 1 lists lactation rooms among its examples of Quiet zones, and S03 then sets isolation targets for walls bounding Quiet zones. A project designing a lactation room to C09's standard is also making a decision that S01, S03 and S06 will measure.
Feature C10: Family Support — Optimization (3 pt / WELL Core 1.5 pt)
Intent: support working parents and caregivers so they can properly care for members of their family.
C10 Part 1 — Offer Childcare Support (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt)
At least three of:
- (a) On-site childcare centers compliant with local licensure, or subsidies of at least 50% for off-site or at-home childcare, for regular occupants
- (b) Back-up childcare coverage for unexpected events, at no cost or subsidized by at least 50% — drop-in daycare, overnight childcare, in-home babysitting, virtual childcare
- (c) Seasonal childcare programs for regular occupants with school-age children
- (d) Policy allowing all employees to use paid sick time, family leave or personal days for the care of a child
- (e) Policy covering part-time options, work-from-home flexibility or flexible schedules
C10 Part 2 — Offer Family Leave (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt)
- (a) At least 12 weeks of leave, paid at 75% or higher of full salary, during any 12-month period, for the care of a spouse, domestic partner, child, dependent, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling or other designated relation with a chronic or long-term serious health condition involving either inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential healthcare facility, or continuing treatment and/or supervision by a healthcare provider.
- (b) The option to use paid sick time or personal days for the care of those relations.
- (c) Policy covering part-time options, work-from-home flexibility or flexible schedules for caregivers.
C10 Part 3 — Offer Bereavement Support (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt)
Employers provide bereavement support.
[!IMPORTANT] The relation list is deliberately expansive and repeats across C06, C08 and C10: spouse, domestic partner, child, dependent, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, and other designated relation. WELL is explicitly modelling care obligations beyond the nuclear family, which reflects both demographic reality and equity considerations.
Feature C11: Civic Engagement — Optimization (2 pt / WELL Core 1.5 pt)
Intent: encourage individuals to become actively involved in and connected to the surrounding community through volunteerism, public spaces and community programming.
C11 Part 1 — Promote Community Engagement (1 pt / Core 0.5 pt)
At least two of:
- (a) All eligible employees may take paid time off for volunteer activities, at least 16 hours of paid time annually, separate from vacation, sick or other paid time off
- (b) A list of volunteer opportunities in the project area and community, with at least one opportunity per month suitable for employees, and at least eight hours organized by the employer for a registered charity or non-profit
- (c) Annual contribution to a registered charity of the employee's choice to match employee donations, up to an employer-defined maximum
- (d) At least one community engagement program — events, talks, workshops, trainings or other public engagement promoting education, play, physical activity, social connection and/or well-being — at no cost to the public on a quarterly basis, on- or off-site, open to all regular occupants
C11 Part 2 — Provide Community Space (1 pt / Core 1 pt)
Option 1: Community space. Designated outdoor or indoor space made available to the public at no cost that:
- (a) Is at least 2,000 ft² (186 m²)
- (b) Is open at all times, unless closed for security purposes such as nighttime hours, or for special events
- (c) Has signage or other communication clearly indicating opening hours and the space's designation for public use
- (d) Provides quality seating areas and is easily navigable for individuals of all abilities
Option 2: Meeting space. Access to one or more indoor or outdoor spaces within the project boundary provided to the public — local community groups, student clubs, non-profits — at no cost, that has capacity for at least 10 people and is available for meetings and events on a weekly basis at minimum.
[!TIP] Option 2 is dramatically cheaper than Option 1. Opening a 10-person meeting room to community groups weekly earns the same point as dedicating 2,000 ft² (186 m²) of publicly accessible, always-open space. Note that 2,000 ft² (186 m²) is the same figure as M07's restorative space maximum — a useful memory hook.
Feature C13: Accessibility and Universal Design — Optimization (2 pt / WELL Core 3 pt)
Intent: provide buildings that are accessible, comfortable and usable for people of all backgrounds and abilities, going above and beyond accessibility laws and codes.
C13 Part 1 — Integrate Universal Design
The project implements at minimum one design, operations or policy strategy in each of six categories:
- (a) Physical access — entry, exit and key interaction points enabling inclusive entrance, and strategies enabling flexible usability as needs change (stair-free entrances, step-free egress, operable windows, automatic doors)
- (b) Developmental and intellectual health — strategies using color, texture, images and other multi-sensory visually perceptible information, e.g., to accommodate the sensory requirements of neurodiverse individuals
- (c) Wayfinding — strategies helping individuals intuitively navigate (signage, tactile maps, symbols, auditory cues, information systems)
- (d) Operations — operational policies and programs supporting inclusion (diversity and inclusion training, flexible work hours for individuals with disabilities)
- (e) Technology — audio and visual equipment, web access, helping individuals fully utilize a space (assisting blind or deaf individuals, or those who do not speak the native language), made available to all occupants at no cost
- (f) Safety — strategies supporting easy access to all spaces and amenities and minimizing risk of injury, confusion or discomfort (lighting, clear sightlines to increase feelings of security)
WELL Core guidance: whole building. Projects may only count design elements in place at the time of certification. Items installed by tenants or after certification are not considered.
[!IMPORTANT] All six categories are required — one strategy in each. This is not a choose-three feature, which makes C13 unusual among Community's optimizations. And the WELL Core rule is strict: only elements in place at certification count, so a tenant fit-out promise or a phased plan cannot be credited.
[!TIP] C13 versus C12 is the distinction to fix in memory. C12 Diversity and Inclusion (3 pt) is policy and representation — hiring practices, wage equity, anti-bias training, employee resource groups. C13 Accessibility and Universal Design (2 pt) is physical and operational usability — access, wayfinding, sensory design, assistive technology, safety. Both advance equity; only one of them is about the building.
Under C08 Part 1 Option 1, what combination of paid leave earns the maximum 3 points?
What pumping break provision does C09 Part 1 Option 1 require?
Under C11 Part 2, what are the two routes to providing community space?
How many of C13's universal design categories must a project address, and what limitation applies to WELL Core projects?