Employee Assistance Programs
(EAPs) are derived from the indus-
trial alcoholism programs of the
1940s and '50s, although at that
time such programs saw little coop-
eration between labour and manage-
ment. Joint participation between
these two groups, in program devel-
opment, implementation, and
administration, has grown mainly in
the past 10-15 years.

Over the last 30 years, EAPs as
we know them today have under-
gone significant changes. The early
programs, dealing with alcohol, and
later including other drug problems,

EAPs allow earl-
ier identification
of personal
problems and
the earlier any
difficulty is
identified, the
greater the
possibility of
resolution.

were generally initiated by manage-
ment because of employee absentee-
ism, product quality, and safety and
health reasons. Today’s programs
take a more wholistic approach to
assist distressed employees, and
their families deal with the impact of
personal problems.

EAPs are in fact employee benefit
programs supported by both labour
and management which offer assis-
tance in areas such as counselling
for: marital/relationship conflicts;
parent-child conflicts; stress;

EMPLOYEE
ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM

IWA - Canada is helping
fo set a standard

with the use of alcohol and other
drugs. EAP’s provide employees
and their families with immediate
access to professional and confiden-
tial assistance for these personal
and interpersonal problems.

t

urer, CPU Local 1.

depression, grief; financial and legal
concerns; and problems associated

Like traditional employee benefit
programs, EAPs are concerned with
employee welfare. However, the
majority of traditional employee
benefit programs, such as health
and welfare (ie: weekly indemnity),
disability insurance, life insurance,
workers compensation, and pension
plans, benefit the employee after he
or she has left the worksite due to
retirement, sickness, injury or death.
On the other hand, EAPs assist the
employee to maintain job effective-
ness by removing personal obstacles
that could hamper job functioning.

EAPs allow earlier identification
of personal problems and the earlier
any difficulty is identified, the
greater the possibility of resolution.
They permit labour and manage-
ment to demonstrate their concern
for distressed employees and their
families in a constructive manner

totally removed from management’s

progressive discipline process.
There is a strong need for such

programs, the programs are success-

ful, the facts support that conclu-
sion. It is estimated that at a mini-

Receiving the National EAP Awards from left to right are: Neil Menard, 2nd Vice-President, IWA - CANADA; Bill
Bryant, Secretary, PPWC Local 8; Hon. Jake Epp, Minister, National Health & Welfare; Wendy Marocchi, Chief
Shop Steward, OTEU Local 15; Jim Stinson, Coordinator, EAP, MacMillan Bloedel Limited; Mike Hanlon, Treas-

of all industrial
accidents resulf-
ing in permanent
disability are

believed to have
been caused by

alcohol or drug

abuse.

mum, 5% of the workforce is alco-
holic. Research suggests that 10-20%
of workers generally may be problem
drinkers. A problem drinker being

defined as “a repetitive, excessive
pel

drinker whose use of alcohol is regu-
larly and directly linked to private or
public harm, and is seen as the
source of difficulties in one or more
important aspects of life.” It is also
estimated that another 15% are
affected by other behavioral health
problems.

Although there is no conclusive
research available on drug use in
industry, it is estimated that up to
3-5% (in addition to problem drink-
ers) of employees misuse drugs, and
their job performance is impeded by
that drug use. The most concerning
of these drugs today are cocaine,
marijuana, and prescription drugs
such as valium, librium, diazepan,
demerol, and codeine based medica-
tions. It is also estimated that 5-7%
of employees experience emotional
and psychological stress.

When all factors are combined it
is estimated that between 15 and
24% of the Canadian workforce
enters the workplace each day with
some form of significant personal
problem. Each of these problems
has the potential to effect their har-
mony at home and at work, their
ability to perform, the safety of
themselves and others, their per-
sonal health, and eventually their
job security.

Safety Must Be Our Concern

In addition to the personal prob-
lems created by the abuse of alcohol
and other drugs, there is the very
real concern for safety on the
jobsite. Safety control relies upon
the ability of workers to predict how
they and their fellow workers will
respond to hazardous situations.
Take away that predictability and
potentially dangerous situations
arise.

A safe worker relies upon his/her
ability to maintain control over his/
her own body and to predict the
movements of others. The consump-
tion of alcohol or drugs limits these
abilities.

Eye-hand coordination, reaction
time and other motor-sensory func-
tions may be impaired even the day
or days following consumption of
alcohol and other drugs. A clear
connection has been established
between alcoholism and increased
accident rates; an estimated 18% of
all industrial accidents resulting in
permanent disability are believed to
have been caused by alcohol or drug
abuse.

Because the alcohol and drug
abuser on the job is a serious hazard,
safety representatives should be
involved in the planning, implemen-
tation, and administration of any
EAP.

See page 8 - EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE

LUMBERWORKER/NOVEMBER, 1987/7