He walks as many as 14 miles a week, including exercise on his own time. It's the latest workout routine in a lifetime filled with exercise, including 30 years of Army workouts, six marathons and a childhood spent on a sugar beet farm in Montana.
The Department of Defense isn't the only federal agency offering wellness initiatives. The Social Security Administration, based in Woodlawn, provides on-site fitness centers, referrals for discounted gym memberships, healthful food in the office cafeterias, bike racks on campuses and online resources for nutrition and workout tips.
Carla Barry, a Social Security human resources supervisor, said wellness programs can boost employee moral and increase productivity. An annual offering is "Commit to be Fit," a one-month program that drew 12, employees last year. The program challenges employees to pledge to exercise for 30 minutes a day for a certain number of days during the month. Barry said workers can keep an online journal, team up with co-workers and share success stories.
An online "cafe" shares low- or no-fat, low-sodium and cholesterol-free recipes. Barry said Social Security workers also have access to behavioral resources, including a smoking cessation program, stress management resources and referrals for counseling. The Defense Department's efforts are centered on a directive from the president, the National Prevention Strategy, launched in The military aspires to be a national leader in building a "prevention-oriented society," said Laura Mitvalsky, portfolio director for health promotion and wellness at the Army Public Health Command.
The command serves Army soldiers, their families, military retirees and Army Department civilians. Councils at Army bases chaired by senior commanders coordinate tools for healthy living initiatives, Mitvalsky said.
The Defense Department launched the Healthy Base Initiative as a pilot program at 11 military installations and two other defense sites earlier this year. None are in Maryland, but Mitvalsky said Aberdeen Proving Ground helped develop some of the elements.
The Healthy Base Initiative is intended to help individuals make informed dietary decisions, increase physical activities, learn and practice weight management and quit smoking. Failure to meet weight standards is a leading cause of involuntary separation from the military, and obesity in America may be limiting the Defense Department's recruitment efforts.
Jonathan Woodson, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs. Options for Providing Access to Fitness Facilities. Federal statutes and regulations authorize Federal agencies to expend appropriated funds for employee access to fitness facilities through the following options:. Subsidizing a portion of the individual employee membership fees for fitness facilities, including costs for exercise classes, through employee reimbursement. Establishing fitness centers on-site to include the purchase of equipment and designation of space to be available to all employees.
Participating with other Federal agencies e. Contracting with fitness facilities for group membership discounts. Group membership discounts could be established with one or more off-site fitness facilities that will provide the desired services.
USGS could pay an amount to be determined annually depending on the number of employees participating and funds available. As a result of the USGS payment, employees would be offered and would be solely responsible for paying a reduced monthly charge for membership. The following USGS officials are delegated authority to establish and approve local USGS fitness programs which include an option for employee reimbursement of individual membership fees for a commercial fitness facility:.
The following USGS officials are delegated authority to establish and approve local USGS fitness programs which do not include an option for employee reimbursement of individual membership fees for a fitness facility:.
The following USGS officials are delegated authority to exempt a cost center, included in a local USGS fitness program which covers multiple USGS cost centers and which authorizes employee reimbursement of individual membership fees for a fitness facility, from employee reimbursement due to budgetary constraints:. The local USGS fitness program will address which of the following option s will be used to fund the program:. Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, USGS cost centers are responsible for funding local fitness program costs.
When preparing cost comparisons e. USGS authority to collect fees from employees to support fitness centers is limited to fitness facilities located in General Services Administration GSA controlled space. USGS may collect fees directly from employees to reimburse the USGS appropriation for the cost of space and services such as electricity.
USGS may not collect other types of costs from employees associated with fitness facilities, such as staff and equipment. In addition, should collected employee fees be in excess of the actual cost for the space and services, the excess fees must be deposited into miscellaneous receipts of the U.
Contractors who provide fitness programs may collect employee fees directly or make arrangements with an employee organization e. If a contractor is used to provide fitness programs, and the USGS is able to pay a predetermined portion of the cost, the servicing USGS contracting office and the contractor will determine the total costs, subject to the Federal Acquisition Rules. The contractor is responsible for collecting fees from the employees to cover the remaining cost.
If a decision is made to utilize a Federal fitness facility managed by an employee organization e. The organization charges the employee a membership fee to cover operating costs.
Under this arrangement, the USGS may collect employee fees through payroll deduction on behalf of the employee organization. However, facilities that cater to one gender or the other may be considered as long as the local program offers the same benefit to all employees. USGS would pay an amount to be determined annually depending on the number of employees participating and the funds available.
USGS managers interested in the use of group membership discounts must contact their servicing USGS acquisition office for information on the contracting procedures which must be followed to establish group membership discounts with an off-site fitness facility. Employees may personally contract with an off-site fitness provider and be reimbursed for a portion of their membership fees.
Exercise classes offered by various commercial, public, and non-profit groups can also be considered for reimbursement of part of the monthly fees. The employee would be responsible for all payments to the fitness facility and would file for reimbursement by providing the documentation specified below in Section Managers interested in establishing an on-site fitness facility must contact their servicing USGS Office or Branch of Management Services regarding the policies and procedures to follow in establishing an on-site fitness center.
However, local managers may establish scheduling procedures to minimize the amount of waiting required. The authority for the Interagency Agreement would be the Economy Act.
Participation in the USGS Physical Fitness Program is limited to permanent full- and part-time employees, and employees on time-limited appointments of one year or more.
Employee participation is strictly voluntary. Family members of an employee, contractor personnel, volunteers, individuals contracting directly with the USGS e.
The Waiver must be renewed on an annual basis. Employees who use on-site facilities are covered under the Federal Employees Compensation Act. Claims of injury or illness will be handled on a case-by-case basis in accordance with appropriate laws, rules, and regulations.
Locations whose employees are represented by a labor organization must meet their obligations under the Federal Service Labor Management Relations status and any existing collective bargaining or other agreement obligations. In order for employees to be eligible for reimbursement of membership fees, including costs of exercise classes, the fitness center or group must meet the criteria provided in Section 9.
When the local fitness programs include reimbursement of employees for part of their individual membership in a fitness facility or costs for exercise classes, cost centers should project their own costs and may reimburse employees on a quarterly basis.
Reimbursement is applied to a single the employee membership and not a family rate. The employee is responsible for providing proof of the cost for an individual membership at the fitness provider facility. One-time fees for registration in competitive fitness or sports activities such as golf, downhill skiing, horseback riding, swimming, running, and team sports such as volleyball, basketball, baseball, or football may not be reimbursed.
Employees must submit a completed Taxable Reimbursement Request form and receipt s of payment to the fitness facility to their cost center manager. The completed form should be sent to the servicing payroll processing group for processing of payment. With the exception of a one-time event or program of relatively short duration, no official duty time will be approved for fitness activities. Examples of one time or short duration events include health education classes, health fairs, and USGS sponsored medical screenings.
USGS managers and supervisors may encourage continuing health and fitness activities through accommodations such as flexible work schedules, but the fitness activities must be conducted during non-duty hours. For example, subject to supervisory approval:. Figure 1. Science Explorer. Mission Areas. Unified Interior Regions.
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