[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 1 (Monday, January 8, 2001)]
[Pages 11-12]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Memorandum on Preventive Health Services at the Federal Workplace

January 4, 2001

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Preventive Health Services at the Federal Workplace

    Today, as we celebrate the enactment of the Breast and Cervical 
Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act that I signed into law in October of 
last year, I am heartened by the progress being made in expanding access 
to preventive care for cancer and other serious diseases. We know a 
great deal about screening procedures that can detect diseases early, 
and about behaviors, such as smoking cessation and sun avoidance, that 
can greatly reduce a person's risk of disease. The challenge that 
remains is to ensure that all Americans

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not only take advantage of the screening programs and other effective 
preventive measures that are available and appropriate, but that they 
make positive changes in their lifestyles before disease develops.
    The workplace is a logical place to provide employees with health 
information and services to help them learn about preventive health. The 
Federal Government, the Nation's largest employer, has already developed 
many programs to encourage preventive health care for its employees. 
These measures, available to Federal employees through the Federal 
Employee Health Benefits Program, cover a broad range of preventive 
health services, including screening for prostate, cervical, colorectal, 
and breast cancer, and screening for sickle cell anemia, blood lead 
level, and blood cholesterol level. The programs also provide for all 
recommended childhood immunizations, well child care, and adult 
preventive care visits. In addition, the Federal personnel system 
provides employees with considerable flexibility in scheduling their 
hours of work and taking time off for medical needs, including routine 
examinations and preventive screenings. Many agencies offer creative, 
effective employee health programs that provide opportunities for 
employees to take advantage of preventive health screenings at the 
worksite.
    There is still room for progress. Therefore, I am today directing 
Federal departments and agencies to review their policies and make 
maximum use of existing work schedule and leave flexibilities to allow 
Federal employees to take advantage of screening programs and other 
effective preventive health measures. Each department and agency should 
also inform its employees of the various work schedule and leave 
flexibilities available to them to participate in these preventive 
screenings and examinations. Such flexibilities include promoting 
alternative work schedules (flexible and compressed work schedules), 
which allow for a variety of working arrangements tailored to fit the 
needs of individual employees, granting leave under the Federal 
Government's sick and annual leave programs, and granting excused 
absence to employees to participate in agency-sponsored preventive 
health activities. In the case of employees with fewer than 80 hours 
(two weeks) of accrued sick leave, I am directing each department and 
agency to establish a policy that provides up to 4 hours of excused 
absence each year, without loss of pay or charge to leave, for 
participation in preventive health screenings.
    I am also directing agencies to develop or expand programs offered 
at the worksite to help employees understand their risks for disease, 
obtain preventive health services, and make healthy lifestyle choices, 
and to share these initiatives with the Office of Personnel Management 
(OPM) within 120 days. The OPM will use this information to identify 
agency best practices. Finally, I direct the OPM to prepare guidance to 
assist agencies in carrying out this directive.
    Agencies will carry out this policy within available appropriations, 
and to the extent permitted by law and consistent with the 
Administration's budget priorities.
    I want the Federal Government to serve as a model for the rest of 
the country. While Federal agencies have led the way in many instances, 
I want to go even further in demonstrating that preventive health care 
for all employees is not only desirable, but also very practical and 
sensible.
                                            William J. Clinton

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this memorandum.