When a Manager Should Refer to the EAP

When an employee is experiencing declining work performance (click here for examples of job problems), especially when discipline has begun on such an employee, the supervisor should recommend EAP to the employee. It is not necessary for the employee to inform you that he or she is having a personal problem. If normal supervisory coaching is not helping to improve the employee’s work, you can assume that a referral to EAP is appropriate.

Recommending EAP to an employee who is having work problems and informing the EAP that such a recommendation has been, or will be, made is called a "formal supervisor referral." Informing EAP of your referral is a vital step in making such a referral most effective. Employees often minimize their work problems when they come to EAP, so it is important that the EAP professional knows before the first appointment what the work issues are. Correctly making a formal referral improves the outcome of the referral.

For more information on how supervisors may use EAP to assist their employees, click here.