Employee Assistance Programs

Conditions such as anxiety, depressive disorders, and substance abuse affect a worker’s ability to perform her job. To help employees cope with mental health issues, substance abuse, and life challenges, companies offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are a resource for employees dealing with personal problems, including services such as attorney consultation, child-care and elder-care options, budget information, addiction recovery, and family counseling. EAPs were started in the 1970s, primarily to provide a resource for managers dealing with employees who had or appeared to have substance abuse problems.

EAPs have indeed evolved from their early focus on substance abuse. Today, an employee can use an EAP to consult an attorney, find out about child-care and elder-care options, get information on budgeting, and seek family counseling. Managers who suspect that an employee has a substance abuse or other personal problem can refer that employee to the company’s EAP.