100 Crosskeys Office Park, Fairport, New York 14450, United States
Using Your EAP- Information for Employees
Your Employer Does Care About You
That is why they offer you an employee assistance program (EAP). The EAP is no cost to you and most importantly it is completely confidential and private. Your employer does not know that you use our services. They pay an annual upfront fee to offer you this benefit, and there is no billing when you use the service.
We can help you with a variety of concerns. From depression and anxiety to marital conflict; from alcohol and drug abuse to concerns about parenting and children; from household budgeting and getting along with co-workers we can help you find solutions.
Using your Employee Assistance Program is as easy as 1, 2, 3.
1. MAKE THE CALL
This is the most difficult part. Most people report they thought about using the EAP long before they made the first call. When you call we'll get some basic information and ask you briefly about your situation. This allows us to match you with the counselor best suited to meet your needs. This phone call usually takes less than five minutes.
2. SCHEDULE THE APPOINTMENT
We'll do our best to offer you an appointment within 3 business days of your call. We have convenient appointment times including evenings. The counselor you speak with on the phone may or may not be the counselor you will be meeting with.
3. ATTEND THE APPOINTMENT
We believe the best way to help you with your situation is face to face in a confidential and professional setting. Appointments generally last about 50 minutes. At the first appointment the counselor will want to get to know you and about your concern and help you to formulate a plan. Follow up appointments can be scheduled with your counselor as you continue to work together to reach your goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does it cost to see a counselor?
A: Using the Employee Assistance Program costs you nothing. This is a benefit your employer has purchased for you. If you were to see a counselor using your insurance you would have a co-pay for each session of anywhere from twenty to fifty dollars. Seeing a counselor with a high deductible insurance plan or without insurance generally costs between ninety and one hundred twenty dollars per session. Using your EAP benefit gives you significant savings if you decide to pursue counseling.
Q: Are Associates in Employee Assistance EAP counselors as qualified as a counselor I would see using my insurance?
A: Absolutely. In fact most of the counselors at Associates in Employee Assistance are also in private practice and do receive insurance reimbursements for clients who use insurance to pay for services. By using your EAP benefit you get the same level of care you would receive if you went to a counselor in private practice. (While this is true at Associates in Employee Assistance EAP, it may not be the same at other Employee Assistance Programs.)
Q: Aren't all EAP's the same?
A: EAP (Employee Assistance Program) is just a general name for a type of counseling program. There are many different companies that offer Employee Assistance Programs. Many are national companies that offer EAP services as an incentive to get employers to offer their health insurance. Associates in Employee Assistance specializes in EAP related concerns and takes pride in having counselors who understand the unique nature of doing EAP work.
Q: Should I be concerned about my confidentiality if my employer is paying for my EAP benefit?
A; Absolutely not! Our counselors all have licenses and certifications which require them to adhere to strict confidentiality laws. The only way a counselor can release information about you is with your written consent, or if you intend on harming yourself or someone else, or under the order of a judge. The only information Associates in Employee Assistance gives your employer is a statistical report of the percentage of their employees who use the service each year. However, no identifying information is ever given to the employer.
Q: So then how is Associates in Employee Assistance paid for their services?
A: Employers purchase an annual contract with Associates in Employee Assistance based on the total number of employees who work for them. Therefore, there is no billing when an employee comes to an appointment, because the service has already been paid for.
Q: Why would an employer want to offer this benefit?
A: There are several reasons why an employer would want to offer an EAP to their employees. First, employee access to an EAP reduces the barriers to getting help. By providing the service without charge the employee is encouraged to utilize counseling resources. Secondly, if employees more readily seek help when their concerns are manageable, there is less likelihood that those concerns will grow and impact job performance. Thirdly, employers recognize that personal problems can and do impact job performance. And finally, when an employee's job performance is a significant concern, the employer can strongly encourage the employee to use EAP services to resolve any personal problems the employee may be experiencing that are contributing to the job performance concerns.
Q: Is there a limit to the number of appointments I may attend?
A: Associates in Employee Assistance offers employees of our contracting companies up to eight sessions per calendar year. If the employee's concern is of a nature beyond our ability to assist, we make recommendations of community resources where the concern can be more effectively addressed.
Learn More
There are a variety of concerns our experienced counselors can help you with. Follow the link to read about just some of the concerns we have helped your fellow employees with. We can help you too!