HealthyWage Step Challenge FAQ
Contact us
For fastest response, email us at info@healthywage.com. Our general fax number is: (651) 964-3499.
Rules
To see the rules for the HealthyWage Step Challenge, go here.
Why should I join?
It's fun and effective! You win individually when you reach your personal step goal, but getting moving as a team means you keep on track and encourage each other to reach your goals! Cash prizes for reaching achievable goals makes the challenge super fun. If you achieve your goal of increasing your daily steps by 25%, you win!
What if all of the participants win?
Healthywage has a "no-lose" guarantee: if more than 75% of participants are successful, HealthyWage guarantees all of the winners will receive at least their entry fee back.
Can my friends and family from outside of work join in?
No. This challenge is just for employees of the associated organization. Friends and family from outside of work may not join in.
How does it work?
The HealthyWage Step Challenges are all about participants striving to improve their daily step counts. Each individual will have a goal that is 25% higher than their personalized starting point. Each participant puts money into the pot, and at the end of the challenge that money (less 25% administration fee and any uncollected fee installments) is split among all successful participants! The bigger the challenge, the bigger the pot!
How is my personal step goal determined?
It's easy - our system will look at your past 45 days of steps, place them in order from lowest to highest, and then choose the middle number (or median*) and add 25%.
If there is not enough data, your goal will be 10,000 steps per day. In order to have enough data, you must have at least 10 days with at least 4,000 steps per day within the past 45 days.
Want to know what your goal will be? You'll calculate it before registering for the challenge. Visit your challenge registration page to get started!
*Median is not the same as "average" or "mean." Instead, it is the middle datapoint from a set of numbers that are arranged in order from smallest to largest.
How do I track my steps?
Smart Phone or Fitbit
For automatic syncing with HealthyWage, you need (1) a smart phone or a Fitbit tracking device, and (2) the free Fitbit app (this app uses your phone OR device to track steps). During HealthyWage registration, you will connect your app to HealthyWage for automatic syncing. It's easy...and fun.
How do I connect my device?
It's easy! You'll do it at the same time you set your step goal! Visit your registration page to get started!
How do you prevent cheating?
We police cheating aggressively. If we determine that someone has cheated, they will be removed from the program immediately and not eligible for prizes.
How big is the pot?
That depends on how many people sign up. The more participants, the larger the pot!
How does the pot get split?
The pot is split evenly between all successful participants. For example, if there are 14 winning participants, all 14 winners will split the pot evenly.
Can I participate if I am located outside of the U.S?
Unless otherwise stated, the HealthyWage Step Challenges are available only to healthy people in the United States, Canada, Australia and the UK. Void where prohibited.
Do I need a team?
In this challenge, teams are strictly for fun and a little extra motivation. You will be placed on a team either based on how you sign up or we will place you on a team before the challenge starts. Teams can be as big as 100 people (depending on the specifics of your challenge), and your teammates will be there to share tips and cheer you on. You will win individually based on whether or not you successfully reach your personal step goal.
I know what teammates I want; how do my coworkers join my team?
Ask them to visit the Step Challenge sign up page, as promoted on posters and/or emails in your organization. They'll need to use this link to take part. After they register, they will then choose your team from a list.
What if I can't get enough people together for a complete team?
Don't worry, we've got someone for that! Our Chief Fun Officer will work with you to make sure you are on a complete team. Once you're signed up, email info@healthywage.com and just ask for assistance. You will be matched with a team no later than 2 weeks into the challenge (but get stepping right from the start!). Remember: teams are just for fun! You will win the challenge on an individual basis.
Is there a deadline for registering and syncing at the beginning of the contest?
No, but the longer you wait after the contest starts, the less time you'll have to count your steps!
How long into the competition can I change my team?
A team can be changed within the first two weeks of the challenge. After two weeks, teams are locked and your team can not be changed (exception: if you sign up later than two weeks into the challenge, your team will remain unlocked for a week).
Can I participate in more than one challenge at the same time?
Absolutely. You can participate in up to 10 challenges at the same time! So double-up, even triple-up to maximize your winnings for the same weight loss!
*Note on participating in multiple step challenges:
Because the goal of the step challenge is a 25% increase over your current daily step count, you may have different step goals for each challenge that you join, as your step average increases accordingly.
I connected my device, but it is not syncing.
If you have trouble syncing please visit the Fitbit support pages to troubleshoot.
What happens if one of my team members doesn't sync their device?
If someone on your team doesn't sync their device, that's okay—since teams are just for fun, your teammates step count will not have any effect on if you win the challenge or not. But, to have the best challenge experience, tell them to step up their game (pun intended)!
Do my steps count up until the last day of the challenge?
Yes! Your steps will count up until 11:59 pm in your local time zone.
What are these dots by my team members names?
The green, yellow and red challenge success indicators let you know how on-track you are toward achieving your challenge step goal! We calculate how many steps you have taken and how many steps you need to hit to see if you and your team are on track to win. If you have a green dot - you are totally on track. If you have a yellow dot - you are not too far off track but you need to step up your game. If you have a red dot - you need to get to steppin’ because your team is counting on you!
What if I get injured during the challenge?
You would have to contact us with confirmation from a doctor stating you are unable to perform the actions required to complete the challenge. Once this is confirmed, we will postpone your challenge.
Can minors participate?
No. Only individuals over the age of 18 are allowed to participate.
Can I participate if I am on weight loss pills or if I have had or am planning to have bariatric surgery?
Only with advanced doctor approval. Contact us to discuss this before signing up.
How do I know my payment information is secure?
HealthyWage is committed to protecting the security of your personal information, including payment information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, and disclosure. For example, all participant data is collected and transmitted over secured connections using 256-bit encryption. All pages on the HealthyWage website are served over SSL. All payment data is handled following rigorous Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards set by VISA, MasterCard, and American Express. We process payments via a highly reputable third-party payment processor and never store your sensitive payment information on our own system.
When will my next payment installment occur?
If you selected to pay in installments (as opposed to one single payment), your account will be charged every 30 days. Please note payments are processed exactly 30 days apart and will not occur on the same date of each month.
Can I get a refund?
Part of our job is to prevent you from giving up, so you can't quit -- there are absolutely no cancellations or
refunds. HealthyWage will suspend your challenge if you are pregnant.
What if my device didn’t sync and now I’m too far behind to win?
There are ways we can back-date your steps. Call or email us to see how we can help you get your steps counted!
How and when do I get paid?
HealthyWage pays you via check or Paypal (your choice). You get paid in as little as 12 hours after you win, but the review process can take longer (occasionally more than a week if our referees determine your case requires additional investigation).
Are there any payment fees?
There is a processing fee for a paper check of $7.00. If you choose Paypal, Paypal will charge a fee of 2.9% + .30 cents, except in special circumstances when HealthyWage pays the fee (e.g., Team Challenge Reimbursement Prize).
