Benefits with Southern California Laborers

Welcome to your Employee Assistance Program supervisor orientation. This presentation is designed to provide you with an overview of EAP services and to explain how the benefit can be used by supervisors as a tool in the successful management of employees. If you have questions about the EAP that are not answered by this presentation, please consult your human resources department or call the EAP at the number listed in your member materials. The Employee Assistance Program, or EAP, provides quick and easy access to confidential resources to help employees meet the challenges they face on a daily basis. These resources are available via the EAP website by using the toll-free number included in the member materials or face to face.

The EAP is an information, support, and referral service designed to maximize employee well-being. These services are provided free of charge to the employee with no co-pays or deductibles. Because life issues of family members can impact employee performance, EAP services are also available free of charge to any member of the employee's household. EAP services are confidential. Any information shared with the EAP cannot be shared with anyone, even the fact that the employee has contacted the EAP, without the written consent of the employee or by a court order. The EAP must adhere to strict guidelines and laws about confidentiality.

Trained EAP professionals are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to work with callers to help them find the resources they need to address personal issues. The EAP can be contacted using the toll-free number listed in promotional materials or via the EAP website, which has a comprehensive library of informative articles, tools, and other resources.

Emotional health is a vital part of overall well-being. A national network of licensed behavioral health providers is available to provide solution-focused, short-term counseling on a variety of issues, including relationship or family problems, alcohol or drug abuse, grief and loss, depression or anxiety, stress, crisis management, or issues affecting work performance.

The number of counseling sessions available to the employee or the employee's household members varies based on the plan your employer has selected. Call the toll-free number listed in the plan materials to find out how many sessions are available to the employees in your workplace. Employees are matched with providers near their home or work. And most have evening and weekend appointments available. Providers meet strict requirements to belong to the EAP network.

For employees responsible for children or older loved ones, the EAP can locate local providers to help with the care of these family members. Depending on your EAP benefit, employees are eligible for online searches or telephonic referrals. In either case, a customized list of providers will be made available from our database, all of whom have met national, municipal, or state-specific criteria necessary for legal operation. Child care resources include adoption, pregnancy and infertility, child care and back-up care solutions, child development information, resources for children with special needs, summer camps and programs, schools, tutors, and other educational resources, and before and after-school programs.

Elder care resources can include housing options, caregiver support, community resources, meal programs and transportation, successful aging, adjusting to retirement, health concerns, and adult day and respite programs. Employees may also need support handling day-to-day concerns. The EAP can also help find resources such as consumer information and support, home maintenance and repair, pet care, travel and recreation, dining and entertainment, relocation, and community volunteering.

Many employees have legal or financial concerns and don't know where to turn for help and advice. As part of the EAP benefit, a network of legal and financial advisors can help employees find the answers they need. Financial counselors are available by telephone to consult on budgeting, college funding and student loans, credit and debt issues, divorce, retirement planning, small business financing, mortgages, and taxes. Employees can also be matched to financial professionals and local community resources that can provide help at a discounted rate. Online resources include calculators and a library of financial articles and resources.

Employees and the members of their households are also eligible for a 30-minute consultation with an attorney. These specialists can consult on personal business, civil or consumer issues, criminal matters, estate law, IRS issues, personal injury, family law, or real estate. Discounted services with an attorney may also be available should employees need services beyond those that can be handled in the 30-minute consultation. Mediation services are also available. Please note that issues regarding employers, medical coverage, or the EAP are excluded from the legal benefit.

The EAP hosts a comprehensive selection of online resources to provide support to employees any time they need it. Resource links, self-assessment tools, child and elder care search locators, skill-building training programs, and thousands of articles and tip sheets are available that cover such topics as parenting and child care, mental health, health and wellness, and even pet care. A selection of audio and video educational resources is also available.

The EAP, together with your human resources department, can assist supervisors in addressing challenges in the workplace such as problems with specific employees, risk management, policy development, and dealing with workplace trauma.

An EAP representative can help you identify warning signs that an employee may be in trouble. These may include absenteeism, high accident rate, lower job efficiencies, poor communication, persistent changes in mood, persistent changes in behavior, or drug or alcohol intoxication. If you observe any of these warning signs, an EAP representative can help you determine whether the employee in question is appropriate for EAP services and whether an informal or formal referral to the EAP is necessary.

As a supervisor, you may learn that an employee is dealing with a personal issue outside of work, such as caring for a sick relative or going through a divorce. To show concern and support for the employee, you can provide the employee with the contact information for the EAP. If the employee's use of the EAP is encouraged but not required as a part of ongoing employment, this is called an informal referral. The employee should be advised that his or her contact with the EAP is voluntary, that the services are provided free of charge, and that the services are completely confidential.

If an employee's job performance is suffering due to a personal issue, a formal referral to the EAP may be necessary. For example, the employee may be experiencing emotional problems, using drugs or alcohol, or having difficulty getting along with co-workers. This may be a solitary incident or part of a pattern which is seriously impacting job performance and putting the employee's continued employment at risk.

A supervisor should follow these steps when making a formal referral. Call the EAP toll-free number. Speak with an EAP consultant. Speak to the employee. Request that the employee sign a consent to release information. Fax the signed consent to the EAP office. Instruct the employee to call the EAP toll-free number. In some instances, formal referrals to the EAP may be mandatory to continue employment. If you have any questions about whether a formal referral to the EAP is needed, speak with your human resources representative or call the toll-free number to speak to an EAP consultant.

A critical incident is an event or series of events that cause emotional distress or disruption in the workplace. These could include workplace violence, the sudden death of a co-worker, a robbery or other criminal act, or a layoff or restructuring. EAP representatives are available to provide group or individual counseling and support to help employees adjust to changes experienced due to the critical incident.

Group meetings are typically held on site, last for one hour or more, and provide an opportunity for the employees to discuss the incident, share feelings and concerns, and ask questions. EAP representatives can meet with management to develop a plan of action to help address any ongoing concerns or problems caused by the event. If you feel that EAP involvement is needed following an event at your workplace, please contact the EAP.

The EAP benefit is an important resource for employees and for supervisors we hope this presentation is provided you with an overview of how the EAP works and how you as a supervisor can use the EAP to reach out to employees who may be experiencing difficulty. If you have any questions regarding EAP services or wish to speak to an EAP consultant about a specific employee issue or workplace concern, please contact us using the toll-free number in the plan materials.