Employee Assistance Program
Small problems have a way of growing into big problems when not taken seriously from the start. More often than not we attend to our emotional or personal needs only when they reach the crisis point. When this happens, we often feel embarrassed about seeking outside help or we have the impression that no one has the time to help us. The fact of the matter is that more and more people are openly seeking help to guide them through every day obstacles in their private lives as well as in the workplace.
In response to this, Dawson College wants to provide you with fast and easy access to quality care to meet your emotional and personal needs. Our Employee Assistance Program is specifically designed so that you don’t need to confront your problems on your own. Since we all have to cope in these difficult times, we want to ensure that our employees receive the best help possible.
An E.A.P. is a free and confidential counselling service geared to help deal with the pressures that most people experience everyday. It serves as a guide to help us get through the difficult phases of our lives.
The following is a brief list of the areas in which the program can offer you support from its professional resources:
Social Problems |
Substance Abuse |
Psychological |
|---|---|---|
| Marital problems Family problems Crisis intervention Mourning Career orientation Retirement readiness |
Alcohol Drugs Prescription drugs |
Depression Anxiety Stress, burnout Chronic illness Compulsive behaviour Post-traumatic reactions |
Medical issues |
Financial problems |
Legal problems |
|---|---|---|
| Annual physical examinations Consultation with specialists Health problems |
Financial planning Fiscal planning Succession planning |
Divorce Bankruptcy Criminal matters Juvenile delinquency |
*While referral services through the E.A.P. are free of charge, consultations with the appropriate service provider are at the employee’s expense. The person consulting will in most cases benefit from a preferred rate as a result of using the E.A.P.
LifeWorks will continue to provide the same excellent service and assistance to eligible staff. LifeWorks comprises certified, independent psychologists, social workers, guidance counsellors, sexologists, lawyers, dieticians, financial planners and accountants, who are members in good standing of their respective professional orders.
24 hours a day – 7 days a week – 365 days a year
To contact your Employee Assistance Program, call 1 888 687-9197.
Dawson College cares about you and your physical and mental well being. Estimates are that one third of the Canadian population will at some point suffer from emotional stress serious enough to prevent them from getting on with their daily activities. These high statistics are a reflection of our times, and they also show that you are not the only one who may eventually be confronted with such problems.
This is why Dawson has decided to move towards a more complete Employee Assistance Program in the hope that it will better respond to your needs.
All permanent employees of Dawson College and members of their immediate families (spouse & children) have access to the program. Included in “permanent employees”, for the purposes of this program only, are: non-permanent faculty who hold full-time contracts for a minimum of six months with the College, and, professionals and/or support staff on long term replacements. Hourly paid teachers and staff on timesheets are not eligible.
Dawson’s Employee Assistance Program is available to you 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. You will never have to deal with a voice messaging service. LifeWorks provides professional counsellors, trained in crisis intervention, 24 / 7. Any employee seeking help will have an appointment scheduled within 24 to 48 hours of their call. In a crisis situation, the employee should be able to speak or meet with someone the day of the call.
To contact the program and find out which professional is best suited to your needs, just dial:
1-888-687-9197
Your name and the reason for your call remain strictly confidential.
- Individuals who wish to use services under the EAP should contact LifeWorks at 1-888-687-9197 (toll free) to register for the new program.
- If you were already registered under the previous program, LifeWorks will contact the professional with whom you have been in touch:
- If the professional is listed with LifeWorks: They will contact him or her and confirm your file is being transferred to this new EAP.
- If the professional is not on the LifeWorks list: They will ensure the professional is a member in good standing with the individual’s respective professional order, that he or she meets the professional criteria established by Morneau Shepell, and that a partnership with the professional is feasible. If these conditions are not met, you will be referred to a professional on Lifeworks’ list.
- The professional will contact you directly to set up an appointment.
The Employee Assistance Program is designed to help you deal with unforeseen issues that arise, or, in the event of a crisis that requires immediate intervention. It is not designed for handling chronic conditions, although, they would be able to refer you to the correct type of resource in that kind of circumstance. Employees are able to consult the program, without cost to them, up to a maximum of five (5) times per year.
Confidentiality is a primary feature of this Employee Assistance Program. No information of any kind may be disclosed without written consent from the individual involved in the program.
Eligible employees and members of their immediate families are each entitled to 5 one-hour counselling sessions every year, including 1 hour of over the phone legal or financial counselling.
