Nutrition course at work (certifiable under § 20 SGB V, German law)
A nutrition course at work brings expert knowledge to where people eat: into everyday working life with a canteen, shifts and appointments. A qualified course leader runs the course over several weeks; the company provides the room and the time. If you want more than a fruit basket, this is a structured next step.
What makes a good course?
It connects with the participants' everyday life: What do I eat on a night shift? What do I take to the building site? How do I choose in the canteen? Discuss this with the course leader beforehand. It is about knowledge and small steps, not diets or weighing people.
How do you recognise a recognised course?
Ask whether the course is certified by the Central Prevention Testing Office (Zentrale Prüfstelle Prävention, ZPP) as a prevention course under § 20 SGB V (German law), and ask to see the certificate. You will find course leaders in the marketplace or via your health insurance fund.
What does it cost?
The course leader invoices the course; you provide the room and the time. If the employer pays for a certified course in addition to wages, this can be tax-free (§ 3 Nr. 34 EStG, German law; allowance of up to €600 per person per year). Only your tax adviser can confirm this.
How do you put the measure in place?
- 1Find a course leader and ask for the certificate of the Central Prevention Testing Office (Zentrale Prüfstelle Prävention, ZPP)
- 2Clarify with the course leader which questions from your working day should be covered (canteen, shifts, field work)
- 3Set the dates, room and participation (working time or free time) and announce the course
- 4After the course, ask what participants were able to put into practice in everyday life
Plan, invite, measure participation: EasyWHP, which offers WHPCompass free of charge, sets this measure up as a project, invites the workforce and shows how many people take part. How a measure runs in EasyWHP →
What do you need for it?
- Effort
- half a day
- Cost
- with budget
- Duration
- 8 weeks
- Setup
- 180 min
- ✓ Expert knowledge from a qualified course leader
- ✓ Practical: eating in everyday working life, breaks, shift work
- ✓ Course at the workplace: no extra journey
- ✓ With a certificate, a recognised prevention course under § 20 SGB V (German law)
Tax and health insurance: what is possible
Employer health benefits can be tax-free under § 3 no. 34 of the German Income Tax Act (EStG) up to €600 per employee per year — if they are provided in addition to the salary already owed and are either certified (§ 20 SGB V) or implemented within the company's health promotion process. Gym memberships and corporate fitness are not covered. For ZPP-certified courses (e.g. from Upfit), German statutory health insurers can reimburse all or part of the course fee to their insured members — then only the amount exceeding that reimbursement is tax-free. Projects within the company can be funded under § 20b SGB V, with no entitlement. Only your tax adviser can confirm the tax exemption.
Health insurance and tax: how to proceed →How it works in EasyWHP
This Best Practice in EasyWHP: adopt it, adapt it, measure the effect
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Nutrition →A fitting occasion
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