[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>