Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are employee benefit programs created to help employees handle issues that may be negatively affecting their health and well-being and, in turn, impacting their productivity at work. EAPs commonly include counseling sessions and referral services for employees and their immediate family members living in the same household.

Employees and their immediate family members may choose to use employee assistance programs  (EAPs) for many different reasons. There may be personal issues or work-related issues that, over a period of time, have been difficult to resolve. Counselors contracted through EAPs typically provide evaluations and support for a limited number of program-paid counseling sessions. If further counseling is required, referrals may be covered through the employees’ health insurance. Some of the reasons employees may choose to seek out an EAP include: family and personal relationship issues, job stress and/or conflict, eldercare, childcare, or parenting issues, harassment or violence, health concerns, financial or legal stress, major life events, e.g., birth and death, tragic accidents, and assistance with balancing work and home life.

Typically, the employee assistance program (EAPs) services are free to the employee and to their immediate family members, having been prepaid by the employer. The sessions are also completely confidential, being considered the same as any other healthcare appointment. Organizations often adopt EAPs to help maintain a healthy workforce. Studies have shown that organizations with EAPs have: improved morale and workplace harmony, reduced turnover and absenteeism, increased productivity, resolved work-related issues, and reduced costs for the organization due to employee stress or mental health-related issues.

In some cases, managers, supervisors and/or HR professionals may make a mandatory referral for an employee to the employee assistance program (EAP).  An employee may be required to attend a specified number of sessions with the EAP counselor for a formal evaluation. In addition, the employee may be asked to sign a consent form allowing the EAP counselor to discuss the evaluation results with a representative from the organization. In all circumstances, both the organization and the EAP are required to follow all regulations in compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

For additional information on employee assistance programs (EAPs), please contact us at www.newfocushr.com.

Written by:

• Kristen Deutsch, M.B.A., CCP
  President
  04/13/2026