Condition of Employment; Formal EAP Referral

  1. The condition of employment referral is an extension of your organization’s normal documentation of corrective or disciplinary action. A “condition of employment” EAP referral should meet these conditions:
    1. Does company policy support written warnings which may include a mandatory EAP referral?
    2. Do the legal codes in our state(province) support mandatory EAP referrals?
    3. Does documentation identify precise counter-productive work behaviors?
    4. Have I specified measureable benchmarks of work success as the primary reason further job action up to and including termination may occur?
    5. Have I documented the logical connections between work success and the EAP assessment?
      1. Quotes from employee self-disclosure. (i.e. “I am so stressed by the child visitation fights I can’t think at work.”)
      2. Documented observations of behaviors or performance which indicate serious stress. (out of character weeping, tantrum patterns, downcast eyes, decreased interaction, etc.)
  2. Suggested insert in the corrective action document would include a reference to any pertinent employee self-disclosure and/or observations of serious stress. Sample insertion in a corrective action memo:
    …Additionally you have spoken about the stress you experience relative to your life away from work. For example, just last week you told me…
    OR
    …I have observed behaviors consistent with serious stress such as the incident this morning in which…
  3. Suggested Referral Paragraph. In the interest of optimizing your work performance I am expecting you to complete a mandatory employee assistance program (EAP) assessment and any recommended treatment or services arising out of such assessment.  The EAP is designed to help you sort out whatever it is that is interfering with your work. You are expected to contact Connections EAP before 4:00pm on the business day following the date of this memo. When at the EAP counselor’s office, please sign a release of information so I can be informed of:
    ____ Your contacts with EAP and completion of an EAP assessment.
    ____ The facility/contact person for any treatment beyond EAP assessment.
    ____ Work schedule accommodations pertaining to services or treatment.