STAMFORD, Conn., October 24, 2007 - Pitney Bowes Inc.(NYSE:PBI)was honored yesterday by the National Business Group on Health, a national nonprofit organization of 285 large U.S. employers, for its development of a personalized, employee-centered program to enable employees with behavioral health disabilities to return to work as promptly and efficiently as possible.
Pitney Bowes was among five employers who were named winners of the inaugural Behavioral Health Awards at a ceremony held yesterday during the 2007 Joint Forum on Health, Productivity, and Absence, presented by the National Business Group on Health and the Integrated Benefits Institute.
"The overall health and wellness of our employees is a definite priority at Pitney Bowes," said Johnna Torsone, Pitney Bowes' Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. “We provide several specialized programs targeted to help individuals resolve behavioral health issues in an effective manner, and we are pleased to be recognized by the NBGH for our efforts."
Pitney Bowes has adopted several key integration components to its behavioral health services program. A single call-in number for all disabilities, regardless of cause, is an important key to early intervention and active case management and is the only contact employees need to make. In 1994, the Disability Assistance Department (DAD) was created to integrate disability management across WC, STD, LTD and Family & Medical Leave programs. The DAD unit provides transitional return-to-work opportunities to workers for both work and non-work injuries.
"We are pleased to honor Pitney Bowes for their leadership and commitment to providing quality behavioral health benefits and programs to their employees and families,” said Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health. "About 217 million days of work are lost annually due to productivity decline related to mental health and substance abuse disorders, costing U.S. employers $17 billion annually. Given this huge economic toll, it is imperative that employers make behavioral health needs a top priority.”
Pitney Bowes was honored by NBGH earlier this year as one of the “Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles” award. In this category, Pitney Bowes was recognized for the Company’s creation of its “Culture of Health” which encompasses its health care strategy, “Health Care University”, and emergency preparedness programs.
About Pitney Bowes:
Pitney Bowes is a mailstream technology company that helps organizations manage the flow of information, mail, documents and packages. Our 35,000 employees deliver technology, service and innovation to more than two million customers worldwide. The company was founded in 1920 and annual revenues now total $5.9 billion. More information is available at www.pb.com.
About the National Business Group on Health
The National Business Group on Health is the nation’s only non-profit, membership organization of large employers devoted exclusively to finding innovative and forward-thinking solutions to their most important health care and related benefits issues. The Business Group identifies and shares best practices in health benefits, disability, health and productivity, related paid time off and work/life balance issues. Business Group members provide health coverage for more than 50 million U.S. workers, retirees and their families. For more information about the Business Group, visit www.businessgrouphealth.org