Confidential help provided by companies and other employers to their employees for personal problems that might influence their ability to work effectively. These programs were started in the early 1900s as employee counseling, became focused in the 1960s on helping employees who were having problems with alcohol, and expanded subsequently to include other personal problems.
An occupational health service program to help employees with substance abuse or physical or behavioral problems deal with these problems when they affect job performance. The assistance maybe provided within the organization or by referral to outside resources.
A workplace-based, employer-funded treatment program for problems affecting a person’s job performance, particularly a dependence on alcohol or drugs. EAPs, which began in the 1940s to help individuals whose alcohol use affected job performance, have grown to include a wider range of mental health issues. Since EAPs have been shown to be cost-effective in increasing productivity, they have been adopted by most Fortune 500 companies. By federal law, EAPs are confidential; an employee’s participation in the program does not jeopardize employment. Most EAPs offer assessment of the issue by a trained counselor (either in person or over the phone), short-term counseling (no more than 10 sessions), and referrals to outside services for issues that need attention over a longer term. In addition, some EAPs offer consultation with attorneys for certain kinds of legal problems, financial consultation for personal money issues, and assistance with child and elder care.