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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 405 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 405

   Recognizing the first full week of April as ``National Workplace 
                            Wellness Week''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 31, 2008

   Ms. Herseth Sandlin (for herself and Mr. Boustany) submitted the 
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                          Education and Labor

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
   Recognizing the first full week of April as ``National Workplace 
                            Wellness Week''.

Whereas comprehensive, culturally sensitive health promotion within the 
        workplace is essential to maintain and improve United States workers' 
        health, as a significant part of a working citizen's day is spent at 
        work;
Whereas employees who improve their health 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;
Whereas employee health benefits are the fastest growing labor cost component 
        for employers, and pose a serious and growing challenge for U.S. 
        business competitiveness;
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, presenteeism, 
        disability, and injury;
Whereas an effective strategy to address the primary driver 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 an average 28-percent reduction in sick 
        leave absenteeism, an average 26-percent reduction in health care costs, 
        and an average 30-percent 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 three-quarters 
        of United States employers, regardless of size, voluntarily will offer a 
        5-element 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 program into the organization's 
structure;

    (4) linkage to 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 employers that provide health care coverage for more than 177,000,000 
        United States citizens 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, CEOs 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 
        management during the first full week of April each year: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) supports the goals and ideals of a National Workplace 
        Wellness Week and calls on private and public employers to 
        voluntarily implement worksite health promotion programs to 
        help maximize employees health, well-being, and lower health 
        care costs; and
            (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
        calling upon the people of the United States and interested 
        organizations to observe such a week with appropriate 
        ceremonies and activities.
                                 <all>
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