Reader situation
Your employer offers an employee assistance service. You could use some support, but you are unsure what the service covers, whether it costs anything and, most of all, whether your employer will find out.
Central idea
Employer-linked support services vary in scope, access and confidentiality. Asking a few questions before you use one helps you understand what is available and how private it is, rather than assuming.
Practical steps
- Confirm availability. Check whether your employer offers a service and how to contact it.
- Ask about scope. Find out what it covers, such as short-term counseling, legal, financial or family support.
- Check confidentiality and exceptions. Ask what is shared with your employer, if anything, and under what circumstances confidentiality can be broken.
- Review costs. Ask whether sessions are free and how many are included.
- Ask about referral options. Find out what happens if you need longer-term or specialist support.
Worked example
Fictional example
The people and details are invented to illustrate an approach. It reports no outcomes.
Dev wants to talk to someone about stress but worries his manager will find out. He calls the service and asks: “What, if anything, does my employer learn about my use of this service?” He learns that only anonymous usage statistics are shared, except in specific safety situations. He also learns he has six free sessions and can be referred to specialist care.
Companion tool: Service questions
Boundaries
- Confidentiality rules vary; ask the service directly.
- Collasia cannot guarantee how any outside service handles information.
- You can also seek support outside your employer.
Where to find support
If you are thinking about harming yourself, or someone else is in danger, call or text 988 in the US, or call 911 or your local emergency number.
For non-urgent support, start with your doctor or a licensed mental-health professional. In the US, SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, offers free, confidential referral 24 hours a day.
Outside the US, contact your local emergency number, your doctor or a national helpline in your country.
Sources consulted: US Department of Labor, Recovery-Ready Workplace Toolkit; WHO, Mental health at work; NIMH, Caring for Your Mental Health.
Member action
Ask the service directly about confidentiality and reporting limits.
Discussion prompt
What questions would you want answered before using a workplace support service?
