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HRD-79-93 1 (1979-06-06)

handle is hein.gao/gaobaazij0001 and id is 1 raw text is: ear!UNIED SAT~ GENRALACCOUNTING OFFICE~ WASHINGTON, D.C. 20548 HUMAN R~ESOURlCES ( DIVISION JUNE 6, 1979 B-164031(5) The Honorable Joseph Fisher 'U WVIi lI House of Representatives 109553 Dear Mr. Fisher: Your April 26, 1979, letter requested our findings and views regarding a complaint from constituents about the t ''9 Department of Health, Education, and Welfare's Smokenders program. An April 16 letter from Mr. and Mrs. Donald W. Brown expressed concern about possible misuse of public funds by the Department. The Department is offering to pay part of the costs of a program to help its employees quit smoking. We have discussed the program with Department officials and have obtained documentation about the legal basis and the rationale for the Department's action. In summary, this information shows that: 1. Public Law 76-659, To provide for health programs for government employees (title V, U.S.C. 7901(c)(4)), pro- vides the legal basis for the Department's action. This leg- islation stipulates that the head of a Government agency may establish a health service program which includes preventive programs relating to health. The Comptroller General has made no ruling regarding the sufficiency of this justification. 2. The Department justifies using tax funds for the program on its belief that reduced smoking improves the em- ployees' overall health, decreases their use of sick leave, increases their productivity, and lessens the chance of their taking early disability retirement brought on by smoking- related illnesses. Other than the Surgeon General's reports on the impact of smoking on human health, the Department has not developed data to show that reduced smoking will directly affect productivity and retirement.. HRD-79-93 (990516)

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