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The costs of EAP programs are typically based on the number of employees who will have access to the program. As a general rule, figure that premiums range from $2 to $3 per employee per month for a basic program. (If you choose a higher benefit level, those amounts may increase.) So if you have 500 employees, the cost could be somewhere between $1,000 and $1,500 per month.

When you document substandard job performance in a written warning, you may want to include an EAP referral as part of the performance improvement plan. After all, referring an employee to an EAP is a very proactive, responsible step that you might take as an employer to help your staff members. Be careful, however, not to make the EAP mandatory. The beauty of the benefit lies in its voluntary nature. The confidential nature of an EAP is compromised if you make it an extension of your disciplinary authority. Here’s how to document an informal EAP referral in a written warning:

Nina, our employee assistance provider, Prime Behavioral Health Group, can be confidentially reached to assist you at (800) 555- 5555. This is strictly voluntary. A booklet regarding the EAP’s services is attached to this document.

In addition to informal, voluntary self-referrals, there are also ‘‘formal’’ referrals where you, the employer, become involved in the process. For example, if an employee exhibits flagging performance and also appearsmentally depressed, suicidal, or potentially hostile, you may then formally refer the individual to the EAP. In the case of formal referrals, you would discuss your perceptions of the work performance problems with the intake counselor on the front end and, with a signed release from the employee, receive limited feedback about the individual’s attendance, compliance, and prognosis.

Taken From : The Hiring and Firing Quention and Answer Book