Conference 7.286::digital

	EAP survives because it is a valuable benifit. I liken it to health
	insurance. Hope you never need it but if you ever do you will be very
	glad it's there.

			Alfred

	The man does have a point about all the stuff they give him
	with each paycheck. Seems like they could do that once a
	year, but not with every paycheck! They don't do that
	everywhere, though, I've never seen the stuff he describes.
	Sure your boss isn't hinting :-)

					Tom_K

    The following note is being entered for a member of the noting
    community who wishes to remain anonymous.  If you wish to send mail to
    the author, send mail to SCAACT::AINSLEY and I will forward it on.

    Bob - Co-moderator DIGITAL
    
    re: .1

	Alfred,

    I hope you don't count too heavily on EAP being there for you. I went
    to  EAP recently about some stress related problems. The Therapist
    recommended that I get away from work for a little while. When I
    requested the recommended time off, I was informed that EAP could NOT
    approve or recommend any time off!! So now I've got management telling
    me I'm AWOL. I'm trying to find another therapist to start all over
    with, who is approved by my insurance, who will see me before I get
    terminated :-(

    Maybe I'll talk to Personnel or use the Open Door Policy or take it to
    the VP of Ethics? Yeah, right. I'll spend my time & money on a lawyer,
    thank you

    Regards

    A Stressed out DECie

    RE: .3 I don't know your situation. I do know several people who have
    gotten time off because of stress related problems. There are limits
    to what EAP can do. And of course EAP is a contracted service so I'm
    sure that performance varies.
    
    What I do know is that EAP was there for me when I needed them. And 
    I needed them badly. I believe I owe them much.
    
    			Alfred

    Re a couple back.. every person in our facility was given the little
    EAP packet with their paycheck.. you were deliberately misconstruing
    'every paycheck'.
    
    Re Alfred's position that it's great.. far be it from me to say that
    counseling doesn't help.. of course it does !  But counseling services 
    are available a LOT of places, and some of them are even supported by some
    of Digital's fast-dwindling and ever more expensive healthcare coverages.  
    So why in this day of ruthless personel cutting, does a pork-barrel 
    project like EAP survive ?  It's outside contracted.. I can't even
    attend TRAINING if it's put on by outside contractors !  
    
    I bet that Human Resources is still putting on fluff classes like the
    Dynamics of Difference, too, while people are losing their jobs because
    management is trying to make up for years of bad decisions and is 
    balancing the books on the backs of the employees, considering them.. 
    US.. liabilities instead of assets.  
    
    Excuse me.. I have to go do some Anger Work. ;-)
    
    karl

    
    EAP is a contracted service within Health Services.  If you are 
    to take time off for stress problems, it is Health Services that
    you have to talk to.  They will work with the EAP counselor to
    determine what their recommendation is.  Health Services is where
    it is determined whether or not your request is approves.  Your
    manager has nothing to do with it or to say about it.  In fact,
    if it is approved, your manager has to deal with Health Services
    and only has the right to know about your availability for work.
    None of the details of your case are supposed to be known outside
    of EAP, Health Services, and you.
    
    Steve
    

    The EAP should NOT be cut when we need it the most, right now. The
    stress level is the highest I've seen it in 27 years. The EAP can help.

    If you need time away from work, your physician can write you a note
    saying you are unfit to work. He/she may have to put on some medication
    and suggest that you stay away from work for a while. You don't need a
    therapist for this, just an MD.

    It may help to talk to your manager about it. Sometimes, he/she may
    agree to your working half days for a time. This may help. Or trying
    working at home.

    I think that if you are on disability, DEC can NOT TSFO you or
    terminate you. This may be a state law. But I think their liability is
    two years, and then they can let you go.

    I'm not suggesting you try to beat the system or pull a scam here. But
    disability caused by stress is as real as a car accident or a chronic
    sickness. So stop coming to work "sick" and get treatment.

    Peter

    
    
       Anybody got their phone #?
    
    
    

    slackers..

Re: <<< Note 2244.6 by SQM::MACDONALD >>>

>    None of the details of your case are supposed to be known outside
>    of EAP, Health Services, and you.
    
When I went to EAP last time, my manager was notified that I had been there.
I am not sure what prompted the call to my manager, and I guess I will never 
know.  I always believed, up until that time, that the visit would be kept 
confidential, but it was not.  The person who worked with me was helpful, and
I appreciated the help.  I did not appreciate the call to my manager.  

Regards,
Diane

EAP phone number: 1-800-833-8707

    
    Re: .10
    
    > When I went to EAP last time, my manager was notified that I had
    > been there.
    
    I don't know the ins and outs of the policy.  Was your manager
    just informed of the fact of your visit to EAP or was s/he given
    information about what you discussed during that visit as well.
    That would *really* be out of line no matter what the policy.
    Perhaps even a legal faux pas.
    
    Steve
    

The phone number given in .11 is for NY, CT and NJ.  Look in your DEC phone
book for your EAP number (it's on p. 253 of the Nov 1991 book).

    Re .10:
    
    > When I went to EAP last time, my manager was notified that I had been
    > there.
    
    EAP is not entirely confidential, although Digital does not often
    disclose that and does make false statements to the contrary.
    
    Disclosures of EAP use have happened and continue to happen in both
    "approved" and unapproved situations.  The "approved" situations are
    when the EAP counselor decides that the employee might be a danger to
    themself or others.  But apparently confidentiality rules are not
    sufficiently impressed upon counselors, because I have read several
    first-hand reports of counselors telling managers about visits in
    violation of the rules.
    
    
    				-- edp

                          
    How long before we "Winston Smiths" of Digital will summoned to the
    "Ministry Of Love"  for treatment?
    
    Glad I never used EAP.  I don't even like the people associated with
    the HMO I'm signed up with.  The jerk they sent me to was as helpful as
    the Eliza program I have on my MacIntosh.
    
    Ever since DEC made the John Hancock plan so unattractive, I've been 
    paying for my counseling out of my own pocket thank-you-very-much!
    That way at least *I* can choose the person I bare my soul to.  And I don't
    have to let a bunch of bureaucrats know what I'm doing.
    
    -Ed

    I'm a single mom with two kids under 6.  The whole family needed "HELP"
    badly.  Had it not been for EAP, we wouldn't have gotten it.  Not that
    EAP themselves did the counceling; however, they have access to state
    programs that hardly anyone knows about, and if I were to have
    undertaken the task of finding these programs, I'd still be lost in the
    shuffle.  
    
    I've used EAP on several occasions.  I can't speak well enough about
    it.  It's been my experience that I am requested to sign a "release"
    form stating that it is or isn't OK for them to let my manager know
    whats going on.  I've always said it was OK and no-one has yet to let
    my manager know I utilized the benefit...period... never mind what I
    utilized it for.  I can't say that the south may be different from the
    north because I've used the benefit both in Atlanta, Colorado, Houston
    and now in Tallahassee over the last 11 years.
    
    I will say that in these times of trouble (financial for DEC) if anyone
    should go, it should be those "outside" services rather than some lifer
    thats invested the last 10 or 15 years in DEC and WANTS to stay.
    
    JP

    An employee's using EAP for any reason should be confidential. But I
    would suggest that you discuss it with your immediate supervisor just
    for the fact that he/she will know where you are when you are gone. You
    don't have to discuss anything. EAP is more than psychiatric, it could
    be financial, job related, a personal family problem.

    An EAP councilor discussing your sessions with ANYONE without your
    permission could have legal consequences. You should straighten this
    out before your first session. These are PAID PROFESSIONAL counselors,
    psychologists, etc, and all rules still apply.

    I can't say enough about the EAP people here in Atlanta; they were
    there for me a number of years ago when I really needed it.
    
    I don't think it's a breach of policy for EAP to contact a manager;
    (I think EAP must notify a manager that an employee is keeping
    appointments, especially if the manager made the initial suggestion
    to the employee that EAP might be of assistance and appointments are
    taking place during normal working hours). I agree to discuss details
    of a session would be a breach of confidentiality.
    
    A former manager of mine pleaded with a "now" former co-worker to
    utilize EAP after he started abusing alcohol and drugs after the death
    of a child.  Everyone symphatized, but the man needed help and the
    manager new if the individual didn't get help he would at the very least
    lose his job.  The person refused the help; his performance
    deteriorated so much that eventually action had to be taken because of
    the negative impact on the group.
    
    Up until that crisis in the man's life he had been an excellent 
    employee, very productive.  I never viewed him as a wimp or a slacker;
    just someone desperately in need.....I always respected the manager
    for what she tried to do.  I think EAP could have helped him, he 
    wouldn't allow them to.
    
    Karen
    

    Re: .12
    
    >> When I went to EAP last time, my manager was notified that I had
    >> been there.
    
    >I don't know the ins and outs of the policy.  Was your manager
    >just informed of the fact of your visit to EAP or was s/he given
    >information about what you discussed during that visit as well.
    >That would *really* be out of line no matter what the policy.
    >Perhaps even a legal faux pas.
    
    My manager was informed that I had been there as well as some of the 
    discussion that took place.  I specifically asked that my manager not
    be informed of the visit, but even that did not matter.  Perhaps it was
    the individual I was dealing with, and not all of EAP, but one person
    can make the whole group look bad.  As far as a legal faux pas is
    concerned, it is not worth the trouble to do anything about it, TRUST me.

    Give me a call if you want to discuss this issue further (I am in ELF).

    Regards,
    Diane

I work in the Mill and we have just received a memo from the Employee 
Assistance Office and Mill Site Personnel.  The memo is reminding mill
employees of the services of EAP.  In the memo it contains the following:


	.
	.
	.

        
        WHO WILL KNOW IF I USE THE PROGRAM?
        
        	No information is given without your consent
        	Strict CONFIDENTIALITY is maintained in accordance
        	with Federal and State Law

	.
	.
	.

From personal experience I have used EAP in the past and no one was notified
of the fact that I did.

    
    It is what you don't know that can hurt you.
    
     Information is power......

Over the years I have worked with employees and EAP on many occasions.
The *only* times I have been aware of these interactions have been with
the explicit consent of the employee or because the employee has subsequently
shared with me that he/she has had an EAP interaction.  If you feel you
have experienced a violoation of confidence, you should voice your concerns
through ODP or to the site Personnel Manager or whatever feels comfortable
to you.

People often fail to realize the breadth of referral services that
EAP offers.  They do provide some limited direct counseling services, but
also offer referrals for just about any life crisis or need you may have --
child care, legal, financial, in-depth therapy or family counselling, etc.
EAP, as someone stated earlier, is contracted for and is completely separate
from our medical benefits.

I've seen some wonderful results from EAP, so please don't close a door that
I think in these stressful times should be wide open for employees!

Leslie

From:	ICS::ICS::MRGATE::"A1::DAVIDSON.BRUCE"  4-DEC-1992 09:01:58.14
To:	SCAACT::AINSLEY
CC:	
Subj:	Conference 2244 EAP                                                    1

From:	NAME: BRUCE DAVIDSON                
	FUNC: EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROG        
	TEL: 223-6391                         <DAVIDSON.BRUCE AT A1 at ICS at PKO>
To:	Ainsley @scaact @vmsmail


         Bob,
         
         Thanks for forwarding my message to one of the people in the 
         conference.
         
         Would you please let members of the conference 2244 know that any 
         individual questions or concerns about the quality of EAP service 
         they received or policy issues regarding confidentiality, etc. can 
         be directed to me for investigation and a response.  
         
         Thanks
         
         Bruce Davidson
         Corporate Manager, EAPs