III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 673 

Recognizing the importance of workplace wellness as a strategy to help 

maximize employees’ health and well being. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 22 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Mr. HARKIN (for himself and Mr. SMITH) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the importance of workplace wellness as a 

strategy to help maximize employees’ health and well being. 

Whereas comprehensive, culturally sensitive health promotion 

within the workplace is essential to maintain and improve 

the health of American workers; 

Whereas employees who improve their health also reduce 

their probability of chronic health conditions, lower their 

out-of-pocket medical and pharmaceutical costs, reduce 

pain and suffering, have greater levels of energy and vitality, and experience increased satisfaction with their 

lives and jobs; 

Whereas health care costs in the United States doubled from 

1990 to 2001 and are expected to double again by 2012; 


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Whereas employee health benefits are the fastest growing 

labor cost component for employers, thus posing a serious 

and growing challenge to business in the United States; 

Whereas business leaders are struggling to find strategies to 

help reduce the direct costs of employer-provided health 

care, as well as the indirect costs associated with higher 

rates of absenteeism, disability, and injury; 

Whereas an effective strategy to address the primary driving 

force of soaring health care costs requires an investment 

in prevention; 

Whereas some employers who invest in health promotion and 

disease prevention have achieved rates of return on investment ranging from $3 to $15 for each dollar invested, as well as a 28 percent average reduction in sick 

leave absenteeism, an average 26 percent reduction in 

health care costs, and a 30 percent average reduction in 

workers’ compensation and disability management claims 

costs; 

Whereas the Healthy People 2010 national objectives for the 

United States include the workplace health–related goal 

that at least 3⁄4 of United States employers, regardless of 

size, will voluntarily offer a comprehensive employee 

health promotion program that includes—(1) health education and programming which focuses on skill development and lifestyle behavior change along with information dissemination and awareness building, preferably tailored to employees’ interests and needs; (2) supportive 

social and physical environments, including an organization’s expectations regarding healthy behaviors, and implementation of policies that promote health and reduce 

risk of disease; (3) integration of the worksite wellness 

programs into the organization’s structure; (4) linkage to 


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related programs like employee assistance programs 

(EAPs) and programs to help employees balance work 

and family; and (5) screening programs, ideally linked to 

medical care to ensure follow-up and appropriate treatment as necessary; 

Whereas employers should be encouraged to invest in the 

health of employees by implementing comprehensive 

worksite health promotion programs that will help 

achieve our national Healthy People 2010 objectives; 

Whereas business leaders that have made a healthy workforce 

a part of their core business strategy should be encouraged to share information and resources to educate their 

peers on the issue of employee health management 

through initiatives such as the Leading by Example 

CEO-to-CEO Roundtable on Workforce Health and the 

United States Workplace Wellness Alliance; 

Whereas the employers that provide health care coverage for 

more than 177,000,000 Americans have the potential to 

exert transformative leadership on this issue by increasing the number, quality, and types of health promotion 

programs and policies at worksites across the Nation; 

Whereas, for workplace wellness efforts to reach their full potential, chief executive officers of major corporations, 

company presidents of small enterprises, and State governors should be encouraged to make worksite health promotion a priority; and 

Whereas Congress supports the National Worksite Health 

Promotion goal as stated in Healthy People 2010 and encourages public employers to increase their awareness of 

the value of corporate investments in employee health 


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management to help our Nation achieve this goal: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate calls on private and public 

2 employers to support workplace wellness and implement 

3 voluntarily worksite health promotion programs to help 

4 maximize employees’ health and well being and lower 

5 health care costs. 

Æ 


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