DCHR Wellness

In this Issue: August 2016
Almost There! August Fitness Challenge Seminars & Screeningsfitness

Sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, the 2016 DC Government Employee Fitness Challenge runs Monday, June 27 to Friday, August 19. The Challenge is an agency-wide eight-week online wellness program and competition designed to engage employees, promote personal awareness about physical fitness and encourage healthy behaviors. Employees can join a team or participate as individuals.

As part of the challenge, the following seminar and screenings will be held in August at various locations. All employees are welcome to attend.

Employees who attend the pre- and post-Challenge screenings will receive 20 bonus points each (40 points total) toward their overall score. Employees must complete both the pre- and post-Challenge screenings to receive their points. 

Weight Management Seminar
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Learn practical strategies for keeping your weight in check, understand more about what a healthy weight range is for your body type, and get tips for managing your weight or getting it under control no matter what life throws at you.
  • Monday, August 8: One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, Room #1117
  • Tuesday, August 9: John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 
  • Wednesday, August 10: Dept. of Health, 899 North Capitol Street, NE
  • Thursday, August 11: Office of Unified Communications, 2720 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE
  • Friday, August 12: Dept. of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, 1101 4th Street, SW
Post-Challenge Screenings
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Blood Pressure (BP), Body Mass Index (BMI) and Weight
  • Monday, August 15: Dept. of Health, 899 North Capitol Street, NE
  • Tuesday, August 16: Frank D. Reeves Center, 2000 14th Street, NW 
  • Wednesday, August 17: Office of Unified Communications, 2720 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE
  • Thursday, August 18: Dept. of Employment Services, 4058 Minnesota Avenue, NE
  • Friday, August 19: John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

  • Monday, August 22: One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, Room #1117
Zipcar
Announcing New Employee Discount: Zipcar Membershipzipcar

DC Government employees are now eligible for a discount with  Zipcar, the world's leading carsharing service. Zipcar gives members on-demand access to a variety of cars in cities, campuses and airports, by the hour or day.

DC Government employee Zipcar discount includes:
  • One-time application fee of $25.19 (no annual fees)
  • 24/7 access to vehicles near you and in major cities
  • Self-service cars at many airports around the world
  • Access to new flexible Zipcars for one-way trips
  • Exclusive, discounted rates when you take a car overnight or use one from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Free legal curbside parking in DC during your reservation.
Retiring? What You Need to Know About Medicare Part Amedicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program for people who are age 65 or older. It includes four parts:Part A, Hospital Insurance; Part B, Medical Insurance; Part C, Medical Advantage Plans; Part D, Prescription Drug Coverage.

Part A: Hospital Insurance 
Medicare Part A helps cover inpatient care in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. It also helps cover hospice care and some home health care. Certain conditions must be met to get these benefits.
  • Cost: Most people don't have to pay a monthly payment for Part A. This is because you or your spouse paid Medicare taxes while working. If a beneficiary doesn't get premium-free Part A, they may be able to buy it if they (or their spouse) aren't entitled to Social Security because they didn't work or didn't pay enough Medicare taxes while working, are age 65 or older, or are disabled but no longer get free Part A because they returned to work.
  • When to sign up: Between January 1 and March 31 each year.
Featured Discount: Six Flags Americasixflags

Six Flags America, the region's largest theme park featuring dozens of thrill rides, shows and activities, announces 2016 DC Government Days, which features discounted tickets for DC Government employees on valid dates with a promotional code. Please see the promotional flyer for details.

Upcoming DC Government Days: August 6-14
August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month: Know Your Rights as a Pregnant Employee in the Districtpreggers
 
August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month. The breastfeeding campaign, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, hopes to empower women to commit to breastfeeding by highlighting new research showing that babies who are exclusively breastfed for six months are less likely to develop ear infections, diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, and may be less likely to develop childhood obesity.

Protecting Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
The Protecting Pregnant Workers Fairness Act of 2014 (PPW) requires District of Columbia employers to provide reasonable workplace accommodations for employees whose ability to perform job duties is limited because of pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or a related medical condition. Download the PPW workplace poster.

Typical reasonable accommodations can include but are not limited to:
  • More frequent or longer breaks.
  • Time off to recover from childbirth.
  • Temporarily transferring the employee to a less strenuous or hazardous position.
  • Purchasing or modifying work equipment.
  • Temporarily restructuring the employee's position to provide light duty or a modified work schedule.
  • Permitting the employee to refrain from heavy lifting.
  • Relocating the employee's work area.
  • Providing private (non-bathroom) space for expressing breast milk.
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