The supervisor is a key person in initiating help for employees whose personal problems have overflowed into the job setting. At the same time, the supervisor is fulfilling an obligation to see that work is attended to on schedule and in a productive manner. In utilizing EAP, the supervisor may address work performance only. Supervisors should not diagnose an employee's personal problem nor offer advice that might be construed to be of a clinical nature. A supervisory referral should not reflect the supervisor's personal feelings toward an employee.
Supervisory referrals are neither punishment nor reward.
They are ways of dealing with work performance problems. A continued pattern of poor performance over a period of time that is a glaring departure from an employee's normal steadiness and dependability is a signal that EAP referral might be appropriate. WILL NOT receive information from EAP unless the referred employee signs a release of information. Refusal of EAP assistance by an employee DOES NOT constitute grounds for disciplinary action. On the other hand, acceptance of an EAP referral does not remove an employee's responsibility to improve work performance.