• EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

    G-30

     

    The Mountain Brook Board of Education recognizes that most human problems can be successfully treated, provided they are identified in the early stages and referred to appropriate types of care.  The purpose of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is to offer a method for identification and referral so that District employees and their families can take constructive action in dealing with personal problems.

     

         I.       General Guidelines

    A.      Program participation is voluntary and confidential.  Whether the employee enters the program voluntarily or by referral, all matters will be conducted on a strictly confidential and humane basis.  The employee may enter the program through self-referral or supervisory referral.

    B.      Employees who have a problem are encouraged to seek counseling and information on a voluntary basis by contacting the designated EAP Coordinator.

    C.      No documentation regarding the employee’s participating in the EAP will become part of the employee’s personnel file, and at no time shall the  District discriminate against any employee in terms of job security or promotional considerations as a result of that employee participating  not participating in this program.

    D.      At an employee’s request, sick leave may be granted for treatment or rehabilitation on the same basis as is granted for ordinary health problems.

    E.      If there are costs incurred as a result of a program referral that exceed those covered by the employee’s insurance benefits, these additional costs will be the responsibility of the employee.

    F.      It shall be within the employee’s discretion whether or not to comply with the referral or whether or not to follow the recommendations of the diagnostician or counseling agent.

     

    II.      Supervisory Referrals 

    A.      If there is an indication that personal problems may be the cause of unsatisfactory performance, the employee may receive an offer of assistance to help resolve such problems in a confidential manner.  In these cases, the supervisor will discuss the problem privately with the employee. 

    B.      Supervisors will not diagnose personal problems or try to find causes.  The employee will be referred through the EAP Coordinator to a qualified source.

    C.      The EAP Coordinator will notify the supervisor, in cases of supervisory referral, that the employee did/did not need and/or accept referral to appropriate care-giving agencies and programs.  Simultaneously, the employee will also be notified that his/her supervisor knows of the employee’s reporting or non-reporting to a care-giving agency.

    D.      Job performance standards are not changed in any way by this policy.  Rather, the policy offers a service designed to assist employees to return to an acceptable standard of performance and thus save valued people and jobs.

     

     

     

     

    Adopted:  December 12, 1994