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Home > About USPS & News > Forms & Publications > Postal Periodicals and Publications > Manuals > Employee and Labor Relations Manual - Issue 18 > 8 Safety, Health, and Environment > 870 Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a formal, nondisciplinary
program designed to assist employees and their immediate families in
recovering from alcoholism and drug abuse and in dealing with other
problems - mental, emotional, familial, marital, financial, legal, and other -
that may adversely affect both an employee's job performance and personal
life. Assistance is provided through consultation, evaluation, counseling,
and/or referral to community resources and treatment facilities.
871.12 Alcohol or Drug Abuse
Recognizing that alcohol and drug abuse are serious health problems that can
adversely affect an employee's job performance and personal life, the EAP
continues the Postal Service'sTM obligation under the various
collective-bargaining agreements to provide a program for employees afflicted
with these problems. EAP is not intended to alter or amend any of the rights or
responsibilities of postal employees or of the Postal Service itself.
871.2 Definitions
Special terms used in this subchapter include the following:
a. Alcoholism - a complex disease characterized by the uncontrolled use
of alcohol.
b. Drug abuse - an improper or illegal use of or dependency on drugs.
c. External EAP service provider - an individual or group external to the
Postal Service providing EAP services through an interagency
agreement or on a contractual basis.
d. Family member - any legal dependent of the employee, or anyone
living in the employee's household, with the exception of tenants or
employees of the postal employee who live in the household.
e. Internal EAP - employee assistance services provided by employees
of the Postal Service.
f. Other problems - include, but are not limited to, gambling, stress, and
emotional, family, marital, financial, and legal problems.
g. Self-initiated referral - an employee's voluntary referral of him- or
herself for assistance from the EAP, made by directly contacting an
EAP counselor. An employee's first visit to the EAP may be on the
clock, provided the manager receives advance notice and concurs.
Subsequent consultations are on the employee's own time. If a
reasonable period of time has elapsed since a previously disclosed
self-referral, the manager or supervisor may, at his or her discretion,
approve an additional on-the-clock session.
h. Written referral - a manager's and/or supervisor's referral of an
employee to the EAP based on job performance, attendance, or
conduct issues. This type of referral is in writing, and the counselor
receives a referral memo addressed to the EAP.
871.31 Job Security
Participation in the EAP is voluntary and will not jeopardize the employee's
job security or promotional opportunities.
871.32 Limits to Protection
Although the employee's voluntary participation in EAP counseling for
alcoholism or drug abuse should be given favorable consideration in
disciplinary action, participation in EAP does not limit management's right to
proceed with any contemplated disciplinary action for failure to meet
acceptable standards of work performance, attendance, and/or conduct.
Further, participation in EAP does not shield an employee from discipline or
from prosecution for criminal activities.
871.33 Confidentiality
Inquiries regarding participation in EAP counseling are confidential, pursuant
to the provisions of 874.4. EAP records may not be placed in an employee's
official personnel file (OPF).
871.34 Reasonable Access
The contractor providing counseling must endeavor to provide confidential
counseling facilities within a reasonable driving distance from the employee's
work site or home. While it is desirable to provide ready accessibility to
face-to-face EAP counseling, areas exist where it is not possible to do so.
Counselors may offer telephone counseling or request that the employee
travel to the counselor's office. Reasonable hours and days, including
coverage of all three tours will be set as mutually agreed to between the EAP
consultant and the HR manager. Counselors may adjust their schedules to
respond to crisis situations and to meet other needs including, but not limited
to, the provision of education sessions, and facility visits.
An employee's first visit to EAP is on the clock, whether the visit is initiated by
management, the union representative, or the employee, unless the
employee prefers to visit the EAP unit on his or her own time. Subsequent
consultations are on the employee's own time. If a reasonable period of time
has elapsed since a management referral or a previously disclosed
self-referral, the manager or supervisor may, at his or her discretion, approve
an additional on-the-clock session. To receive pay for an on-the-clock
session, the employee must authorize the EAP provider to disclose to
management the employee's attendance.
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