Utilizing grant funding, an Employee Wellness Program was established under the auspices of a county joint labor-management wellness committee housed in a metropolitan area health department serving 5,000 county employees in 9 worksites. Over a 3 year period, the wellness committee provided entrees into activities of both labor and management employees. The program utilized hands-on strategies to address lifestyle changes for employees in three key areas of nutrition, fitness, and smoking cessation. Activities were spearheaded by a consulting R.D and a staff health educator working as a team. Samples of nutrition focused activities included: R.D. led supermarket tours for small groups at convenient hours for employees, including evenings and weekends; a National Nutrition Month wellness-committee judged employee recipe contest culminated by a buffet luncheon featuring the winning healthy recipes, as well as taste-tests in employee cafeterias, both utilizing R.D. and chef collaboration; ''lunch and learn'' educational sessions in small groups at all worksites; a Food and Nutrition Resource Binder compiled especially for employee self-serve minikitchens; a ''Healthful Food Choices at Work'' guide to catering choices an on-site contract food service could offer or employees could request from off-site providers, as well as potluck and holiday menu ideas for employee gatherings; a wellness newsletter with seasonal recipes; a cookbook for drainage and sanitation facilities workers who operate their own satellite kitchen 24 hours/day; a special vending machine ''sticker'' program identifying healthier vending choices; and a ''Healthy Choice To Go'' area developed by an R.D. and an Food Service Manager in a street level cafe at a 2,000 employee worksite. Response to the program has shown employee as well as risk management satisfaction, including across the board reduction in employee absenteeism in those departments with regular participation in the wellness program offerings over the 3 year period.