SMART PRE-Employment Assessment vs. Business Wellness Services

The S.M.A.R.T. Fitness Assessment stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reproducible, and Time-Oriented because that is the nature of the goals we establish to make your fitness journey as objective and safe as possible. Like traditional Orthopedic Physical Therapy Evaluations, we measure ROM, strength, balance, agility, postural stability, joint mobility, flexibility, body composition analysis, and neuromuscular control. However, unlike traditional Physical Therapy Evaluations, our SMART Fitness Assessment focuses on the entire musculoskeletal system from your head to your toes (not just what hurts) to address anything that could interfere with your goal of becoming the best version of yourself.

Our comprehensive evidence based examinations and our use of cutting edge tech enables our clinicians to be exceptional at identifying problems before they happen and to accurately monitor your progress towards achieving the best version of your self. We are located in the Powerhouse Gym of Stuart, FL and have access to all the latest in fitness equipment to ensure that we can effectively execute our mission to empower our clients in achieving what they may even see as impossible.

The services offered at Atlas Health and Wellness ensure there is no more guesswork in achieving your goals, we don't use trendy fads that come and go every 5 years , we don't provide unsustainable exercise programs that result in injury, we don't follow work out guru's that use performance enhancing drugs to manipulate your expectations to get more clicks on social media,

Our approach is to combine your break neck work ethic and commitment to achievement with the our cold hard science and cutting edge technology to get results that even the Greek gods would envy.

"Our mission is to empower the individuals to shoulder the weight of our world" - Dr. David J. Hartwig CEO and founder of Atlas Health and Wellness

Click here to schedule your follow-up Wellness Visits

At Atlas Health and Wellness, we offer two distinct services designed to support both employers and their teams. While both use similar testing methods, they serve very different purposes.

SMART Pre-employment Assessment

The SMART Pre-Employement Assessment is a comprehensive, job-related evaluation designed to help employers make informed hiring decisions. Employers provide a job-description for the position being filled prior to the evaluation. Dr. Hartwig can provide consulting services for job-descriptions but must be done prior to the SMART Pre-employment Assessment to ensure ADA compliance.

This 60-minute SMART Pre-employment ssessment, performed by Dr. Hartwig, includes:

InBody 380 body composition analysis
Jtech strength testing (upper and lower quarter)
Range of motion and flexibility testing
Balance and proprioceptive testing
Functional movement assessment
Thorough history and physical therapy evaluation
Everything DiSC Workplace behavioral profile

Following the Assessment the Employers receive a Job Description Risk Analysis tailored to the specific position provided by the employer, helping them understand how well a candidate matches the physical demands of the role. All candidates complete the DiSC profile online before their appointment.

This assessment is job-specific and ADA-compliant for pre-employment use only.

Employee Wellness Services

(Voluntary Ongoing Care for Employers and Employees)

The Employee Wellness Services are completely separate from the pre-employment assessment. These are voluntary, general health and wellness services focused on improving overall musculoskeletal health, mobility, strength, and function.

Unlike the SMART Pre-Employment Assessment, wellness services:

Are not job-specific
Are protected under HIPAA
Focus purely on general health and well-being
Cannot be tied to job duties or used for workers’ compensation purposes

These services help employees reduce pain, improve movement, prevent injuries, and feel better both at work and in daily life — whether they sit at a desk or perform physically demanding work.

Important: If a candidate is hired after completing the SMART Pre-employment Assessment, a separate wellness-focused evaluation is required before they can participate in the voluntary wellness program but is significantly discounted as the DISC and Inbody has already been preformed.

What is DISC and how can it help your Company thrive?

We also offer the Everything DiSC® Workplace Profile from Wiley — a scientifically validated, easy-to-understand behavioral assessment that helps employers gain valuable insights into a candidate's personality style before onboarding. Everything DiSC® measures natural tendencies in Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness, providing a personalized report on how someone prefers to communicate, respond to challenges, and collaborate. This tool promotes better team dynamics, smoother integration, and stronger workplace relationships from day one — leading to higher employee satisfaction, reduced misunderstandings, and a more cohesive, positive environment for everyone. It's fully legal and compliant (not a medical or disability assessment under ADA guidelines), focusing purely on behavioral preferences to support cultural fit and effective teamwork — whether for office collaboration or field-based crews. Employers receive clear, actionable insights to help new hires thrive, fostering happiness, productivity, and long-term success for the whole team.

Advanced Technology We Use

InBody 380: Provides precise body composition data in just 30 seconds, including muscle mass, body fat percentage, visceral fat, and hydration levels.
Jtech Strength Testing: Objective, high-precision dynamometry that measures strength and identifies imbalances.

What Conditions Can We Help With?

Dr. Hartwig helps employees prevent and manage a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, including:

Common Areas:

Neck and shoulder pain
Low back pain and disc issues
Rotator cuff problems
Knee and ankle injuries
Repetitive strain injuries
Chronic pain and joint stiffness

What We Do Not Treat:

Pelvic floor disorders
Neurological conditions (Parkinson’s, stroke, etc.)
Lymphedema or wound care
Cardiac rehabilitation

Tax Benefits for Employers

All services provided by Atlas Health and Wellness qualify as deductible ordinary business expenses under IRC Section 162. Employers may also be able to structure these services as nontaxable working condition fringe benefits under IRC Section 132(d) when properly documented and tied to business needs and a job description on file in the company employee handbook. We recommend that employers use detailed job descriptions to fortify the justification for "general wellness services". Proper documentation and separation between job-related assessments and general wellness services is essential for compliance. We provide supporting documentation to help you maintain clear records.

Here are the primary Internal Revenue Code (IRC) sections that employers rely on to justify tax write-offs for workplace wellness and injury prevention services (such as job-specific physical therapy evaluations, ergonomic assessments, or related services by a physical therapist), especially when clearly tied to job duties:

IRC Section 162 – Ordinary and Necessary Trade or Business Expenses

This is the foundational deduction for employers. It allows a business to deduct all ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred in carrying on a trade or business.

How it applies: Costs for job-specific wellness/injury prevention (e.g., PT evaluations to assess lifting techniques for warehouse staff or posture for repetitive desk work) qualify as “ordinary” (common in the industry) and “necessary” (appropriate and helpful for operations, productivity, and reducing downtime or claims). This includes direct payments to a physical therapist for evaluations tied to job descriptions.
For the business owner/employer: Full deduction as a business expense (reported on the appropriate return, like Schedule C for sole proprietors or corporate returns).
Documentation tip: Link the service explicitly to job duties, performance, or risk reduction (e.g., via job descriptions, pre/post metrics, or notes showing it prevents strains from required tasks). General “wellness” without a job tie is riskier.

IRC Section 132(d) – Working Condition Fringe Benefits

This allows employers to provide property or services to employees tax-free (excluded from the employee’s gross income and not subject to payroll taxes) if, had the employee paid for it personally, the cost would be deductible under Section 162 or 167.

How it applies: Job-specific PT evaluations, ergonomic services, or injury-prevention therapy qualify as a working condition fringe when they help the employee perform their current job duties (e.g., maintaining or improving skills/ability to handle physical demands listed in the job description). Regulations (26 CFR § 1.132-5) emphasize that the benefit must relate to the employer’s business and be substantiated via a job description on file.
Key IRS note (from Pub 15-B and regs): A broad physical examination program is not excludable as a working condition fringe (even if mandatory), but targeted, job-related services like therapy for diagnosed job-induced strains or preventive assessments tied to specific duties often do qualify.
Employee impact: Nontaxable to the employee (no W-2 inclusion) when properly structured and documented.
Employer impact: Still fully deductible under Section 162.

Important Caveats for Job-Specific Services

Strongest case: The service must be directly tied to job duties (e.g., evaluation based on the physical demands in the job description, such as repetitive motion, lifting, or posture requirements). Motive to reduce insurance claims (workers’ comp or health premiums) helps demonstrate “necessity” under Section 162 but is not required—the IRS focuses on ordinary/necessary business purpose.
Weak case: General wellness, broad physicals, or services not linked to job performance (e.g., optional “feel better” sessions) are often treated as taxable fringes or nondeductible personal expenses.
Substantiation is critical: Keep records showing the job link (job descriptions, therapist reports, business purpose memos). Without it, the IRS may reclassify as taxable compensation.
Owner vs. Employees: For the business owner (especially self-employed or S-corp), it’s usually a straightforward Section 162 deduction. For employees, Section 132(d) provides the nontaxable fringe treatment.

These rules come directly from the IRC, Treasury Regulations (especially Reg. § 1.132-5), and IRS Publication 15-B. Always document thoroughly—job-specific tying is what separates deductible business prevention from nondeductible personal wellness. Tax law is fact-specific, so consult a tax professional or CPA for your exact setup, as audits focus on substantiation. The IRS generally supports measures that keep employees productive and reduce business risks like claims or lost time.