FAQ

Employee Brochure

Quarterly Newsletter

Making a Supervisory Referral

Wellness and Recreation Services

Formal Supervisory Referral Steps to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

1. Formal Supervisory Referrals should meet at least one of the following conditions:
1. A supervisor has observed and documented an employee’s continued deterioration or unacceptable job performance.
2. A supervisor observes an employee’s health and safety to be an immediate risk (Example: The supervisor hears an employee make suicidal comments).
3. A supervisor observes that an employee’s behavior is creating an immediate health and safety risk to others (Example: the supervisor hears an employee make homicidal comments).
2. Procedures for Formal Supervisory Referrals
   1. A supervisor may formally refer an employee to the EAP based on the above criteria. Formal referrals usually require three EAP sessions to address work performance. The purpose of the formal referral is:
      • To assess personal issues impacting job performance
      • To set goals to address job performance issues
      • To monitor progress toward desired work outcomes
   2. The referring supervisor notifies the Human Resource Director before a formal referral is initiated. There will be a need to establish time parameters to address the performance issue and to keep the Human Resource Director apprised of the employee’s job performance during the employee’s involvement with the EAP.
   3. To make a formal supervisory referral, the supervisor must:
      • Call the EAP coordinator or counselor at 319-235-3550 to inform Allen EAP of the employee’s name and the pending formal referral
      • Offer information about the employee’s job performance before his/her EAP appointment
      • Identify expected work outcomes
      • Determine to whom releases of information should be signed (usually the supervisor or university EAP contact person)
   4. When a formally referred employee meets with an EAP counselor, a release of information consent form must be signed by the employee in order for the EAP counselor to discuss the general assessment and recommendations with his/her employer.
   5. When the university has formally referred an employee to Employee Assistance Program, the counselor may provide the university with the following feedback:
      • Verification that the employee met with the counselor
      • Verification of whether or not a medical/behavioral problem exists, but not its nature
      • Verification of whether the employee has been provided with a recommended plan of action for resolving his/her problem
      • Verification of whether the employee plans to or has complied with any recommended referral outside of EAP.
   6. If an employee has been formally referred to the EAP for job-related drug/alcohol issues, the employee will comply with treatment and follow-up recommendations set forth by the EAP counselor as a condition of continued employment according to the University Drug/Alcohol Policy.
   7. The referring supervisor will continue to monitor employee job performance. If a formally referred employee refuses EAP services and job performance continues to deteriorate or be unacceptable, the employee risks progressive disciplinary action in accordance with university policy up to and including possible termination. Likewise, utilizing the EAP does not exempt the employee from appropriate disciplinary action for continuing job performance problems. Any supervisory action requiring university discipline should be discussed with the Human Resources Director or Associate Director prior to such action being taken.
3. If an employee needs time off work for treatment, sick leave, compensatory leave, or other excused absence should be requested. The employee’s supervisor can help to arrange this time off without revealing the nature of the problem being treated.