Employee Health Services Handbook

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Introduction

Q: Why Are Employee Health Services Programs Needed?

Many of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States are largely preventable through early detection, intervention and behavior changes. Your agency can adopt health policies and programs to:

• Help employees understand their risks for disease
• Help employees obtain preventive health services
• Reduce the risk of premature morbidity, mortality and disability
• Foster healthy lifestyles
• Support a healthy working environment.

Because most working Americans spend at least 30 percent of their time at work, the workplace is a logical place for employees to receive preventive health services. President Bush's HealthierUS Initiative recognizes the roles of worksites, specifically Federal worksites, in improving the health of the Nation. The HealthierUS Working Group stated, in its report to the President, "With approximately 1.7 million employees, Federal agencies have both an obligation and an enormous opportunity to offer programs and support mechanisms to improve the health of their workforce. In doing so, they can serve as examples of how employers can help alleviate the chronic disease epidemic our Nation faces." Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services' Healthy People 2010 (health objectives for the Nation) calls for more worksites to offer comprehensive health promotion programs to their employees.

Under 5 CFR Part 792 agencies must provide employee assistance programs to assist employees with drug and alcohol abuse prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. Under 5 U.S.C. 7901, agencies may establish, within the appropriation limits available, health services programs to promote the physical and mental fitness of employees.

Q: What is the Purpose of This Handbook?

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), in cooperation with the Department of Health and Human Services, provides policy and guidance on Federal civilian employee health and assistance programs. This handbook provides policy guidance to assist agency management and program administrators in developing and administering comprehensive employee health services programs.

Q: How Do I Use This Handbook?

There are many ways to administer employee health services programs. This handbook uses a question and answer format to address the most common administrative issues. The handbook is divided into the following areas:

1. Administering Employee Health Programs - information on types of services, agency responsibilities, a variety of administrative options, and program development strategies.
2. Providing Physical Fitness Programs - information on funding and fee collection, management and design of on-site fitness facilities, the use of private facilities, and liability issues.
3. Administering Employee Assistance Programs - information on types of services, administrative options, staffing, performance, conduct and leave issues, reasonable accommodation, confidentiality, and evaluation strategies.
4. Federal Program Resources - lists of Federal contacts and resources for employee health services.
5. Websites - a list of employee health resources available on the Internet.
6. Appendices - copies of authorities, employee health program history, sample surveys, sample management contract, sample last chance agreement, and sample release of information.

If you have any questions regarding the topics in this handbook or anything related to employee health services please contact the OPM Work/Life Group at worklife@opm.gov.

Disclaimer

The names of some non-U.S. Government resources have been included in this booklet merely as an initial information service to the reader. The mention of providers by name does not constitute official sanction or endorsement of the provider by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management or the U.S. Government. Not all resources could be included in this handbook because of space constraints and other considerations.

In any locality, there may be many reputable individuals, agencies, associations and companies that can provide the reader with additional resources. Before contracting for services, readers are encouraged to contact information sources and service providers directly for additional information, to determine which provider can best serve their needs.

Due to the rapidly changing work environment and the evolving field of employee health and assistance, care needs to be taken to use the most current guidelines available. This handbook attempts to reflect the most recent concerns, recommendations, regulations, and resources available at the time of its publication.

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