[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 150 (Monday, September 22, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S9214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 673--RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKPLACE WELLNESS 
    AS A STRATEGY TO HELP MAXIMIZE EMPLOYEES' HEALTH AND WELL BEING

  Mr. HARKIN (for himself and Mr. Smith) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 673

       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;
       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 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 
     management to help our Nation achieve this goal: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate calls on private and public 
     employers to support workplace wellness and implement 
     voluntarily worksite health promotion programs to help 
     maximize employees' health and well being and lower health 
     care costs.

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