In November 2007, following the publication of Leading by Example, the U.S. Chamber co-founded the U.S. Workplace Wellness Alliance with Partnership for Prevention.

The mission of the Alliance is to improve the health status of the U.S. workforce by increasing the number of U.S. businesses that incorporate sound employee health management initiatives that include worksite health promotion/wellness programs into their corporate and health care strategies.  Since 2007, the Alliance has more than tripled initial membership, and now has more than seventy-five members.

Keeping employees healthy are vital to the well-being of businesses as research demonstrates that healthy employees have fewer medical claims, are less absent, and have greater on the job productivity when compared to employees who have less healthy behaviors such as obesity, physical inactivity and tobacco use.

In 2008, the Alliance was instrumental in passage of a House resolution co-sponsored by Representatives Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and Charles Boustany, Jr. (R-LA) that recognizes the first full week of April as "National Workplace Wellness Week" and a similar Senate resolution sponsored by Senator Harkin (D-IA) and then Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), recognizing the importance of workplace wellness as a strategy to help maximize employee’s health and well being.  

To celebrate National Workplace Wellness Week, the Alliance has taken out an advertisement in CongressDaily A.M., and later today, will hold an event on Capitol Hill with Senator Harkin (D-IA) and other Members of Congress, where Senator Harkin is expected to re-introduce the Healthy Workforce Act. 

Please join us in our celebration of National Workplace Wellness Week.  For more information, visit our website: http://www.uswwa.org.