Supervisor's Guide
The following questions help sort out the details of the supervisor's involvement with the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
1) What is the supervisor's role?
2) Should the supervisor arrange the first appointment with EAP?
3) Are there other ways for the supervisor to be supportive?
4) Does the supervisor have the right to know the details EAP's assistance?
5) Can use of EAP mean paid time off work?
6) Can the supervisor insist that time off work for EAP be made up?
7) If an employee has been absent from work for a long time due to problem resolution, how can the supervisor help in his/her return to work?
8) What is the most difficult aspect of EAP for supervisors?
9) What is the biggest frustration for supervisors with respect to EAP?
What is the supervisor's role?
The supervisor's role is to assess work performance and take appropriate management action when improvement is required. Supervisors should be sensitive to the possibility that a personal difficulty may be the reason for a downturn in an employee's performance.
If there are personal difficulties affecting job performance, the supervisor should encourage the use of EAP but at the same time, the supervisor should take corrective action. Usually, this takes the form of a discussion or a written letter outlining performance concerns. In such a letter, the supervisor should mention the availability of the Employee Assistance Program. A supervisor's corrective action about job performance could provide some of the motivation required by the employee to resolve the personal difficulty.
Should the supervisor arrange the first appointment with EAP?
This is a possibility if the employee agrees. Sometimes the employee may need this kind of support. The supervisor may initiate the first meeting by calling Counselling Services (ext. 32655) or Occupational Health (ext. 36264.)
Are there other ways for the supervisor to be supportive?
Naturally, the supervisor should be patient, sympathetic and understanding when an employee uses the EAP. Another key part of the support is to insist that progress is being made toward meeting performance requirements. This can be a crucial component of the motivation needed by the employee to resolve the personal difficulty.
Does the supervisor have the right to know the details EAP's assistance?
No. Confidentiality of this information is a cornerstone of the EAP program. However, if counselling requires any absence from work, the supervisor has the right to know that EAP sessions are being attended and that progress toward problem resolution is occurring. Program experience indicates that most EAP cases take about six, one-hour counselling sessions for problem resolution, however the maximum sessions available on-campus is ten sessions.
It is up to the employee to demonstrate progress. If necessary, the supervisor can ask the employee to have either his/her EAP counsellor reassure the supervisor about the general progress of the counselling program.
However common sense say that, if possible, any required counselling sessions should be arranged at times that are least disruptive to work performance. These sessions can be arranged close to the beginning/end of the work day or near the lunch hour. If necessary, employees may also arrange sessions outside work hours.
Can use of EAP mean paid time off work?
Yes. Policy #67 on the EAP states that the University will continue salary and benefits for any regular employee who is pursuing treatment which has the prospect of being successful in a reasonable length of time.
However, common sense says that, if possible, any required counselling sessions should be arranged at times that are least disruptive to work performance. These sessions can be arranged close to the beginning/end of the work day or near the noon hour. If necessary, employees may also arrange sessions outside work hours.
Can the supervisor insist that time off work for EAP be made up?
No. However, if resolution of the problem is not occurring in a reasonable length of time or if the supervisor believes that the counselling sessions could be arranged at a less disruptive time, the supervisor should consult with Human Resources an appropriate management action.
If an employee has been absent from work for a long time due to problem resolution, how can the supervisor help in his/her return to work?
The supervisor should be sensitive to the concerns of the returning employee. It is a good idea for the supervisor to meet with the employee prior to his/her return. The community agency offering the in-residence program often provides some assistance in this regard. Issues that should be reviewed include what will be said to co-workers by both supervisor and employee and how any recurrence of the problem will be handled. Putting the latter in writing is a good idea in these cases. Human Resources can help with such a letter.
What is the most difficult aspect of EAP for supervisors?
The biggest challenge for the supervisor is to focus on work performance rather than delaying corrective action because of sympathy for the troubled employee.
Too often, the supervisor mistakenly delays taking the appropriate action because the employee indicates that his/her personal difficulties are the root cause of the performance problem and will soon be resolved.
The supervisor should be steadfast under this inevitable pressure and
take the appropriate corrective action encourage the use of the EAP
What is the biggest frustration for supervisors with respect to EAP?
The time it takes for a problem to be resolved. This can be minimized if the supervisor takes the appropriate corrective action on any performance problem and also indicates the availability of EAP.
Summary of the supervisor's role with respect to EAP
- Always take appropriate management action if there is a performance problem.
- Encourage the early use of the EAP for personal difficulties.
- Indicate that EAP help is available within the text of any corrective warning letter.
- Be supportive when the EAP is used.
- Follow up to ensure EAP counselling is helping resolve the problem