The District will spend about $300 million this year on health care-related costs for current and former city employees, an amount that could be slashed if the city can improve the health of its workers, Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh says. Cheh is planning to introduce a bill on Tuesday that would require the mayor to adopt a “workplace wellness plan” that would encourage employees to take exercise breaks and eat healthier food while in the office. Among its key initiatives would be replacing the food in 4,000 vending machines in city and federal facilities and allowing healthy food retails vendors onto District property.
“A well-structured workplace-wellness program can reduce health costs, improve morale and productivity, and improve employee recruitment and retentions,” Cheh said. “As we fight a citywide obesity epidemic, the District government can be a leader in improving the health of our work force.”
The city is set to spend about $90 million on former District employees’ health care this fiscal year and about $210 million on health care for current employees, budget documents say.
In December, a Harvard Business Review study found programs in the private sector that encourage employees to get exercise, not to smoke and to get early cancer screening save $6 for every $1 invested in the wellness program. Cheh’s bill would promote those improvements for city workers with the help of “wellness coordinators” who would help implement the mayor’s annual wellness plan in the workplace. The legislation does not yet have a price tag. If it proves costly, the councilwoman will have to push hard on the potential long-term savings given the city’s tight budget.
The American Heart Association says poor diet and lack of exercise are responsible for at least 25 percent of health care costs incurred by working adults.
Jacques Leger, executive board chairman of the American Heart Association of the Greater Washington Region, said the wellness program Cheh plans to introduce will improve the lives of city workers.
“The D.C. Workplace Wellness Act sets the national standard by investing in its employees with proactive goals,” Leger said. “We commend and support the efforts of Councilwoman Cheh in creating comprehensive policies to offer opportunities for D.C. employees to make healthy choices.”
