Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are employee benefit programs offered by many employers in order to help employees deal with personal problems that might adversely impact their work performance, health, and well-being. EAPs generally include assessment, short-term counseling and referral services for employees and their household members.

 

These EAP services are usually free to the employee or household member, having been pre-paid by the employer who may use an EAP Provider as an intermediary.

 

Confidentiality is maintained in accordance with privacy laws and professional ethical standards.

 

External counselling through an EAP provides the benefit to employees of delivering confidential counselling services off-site, away from the eyes and ears of fellow workers, managers, or the Human Resources Department. It needs to be noted, however, that EAP services are paid for by employers who then become the "clients" of the EAP provider. Whilst the organization is sponsoring the benefit it is confidential and free to the employee. The Centre maintains a strict adherence to the concept of serving two clients; the employer and the employee. If the employee improves as a result of the use of this benefit, then both the employer and the employee are winners—the employer has a good, highly motivated and high-performing employee and the employee gains assistance with a personal problem that was previously impacting their ability to focus on their job.

 

 

The Liverpool Empowerment Centre provides a professional counselling service for a number of EAP providers and offers a reasonably priced assessment, counselling and reporting service. For details please contact the Centre on 07828 707 211 or e-mail the Centre.