Monash University Employee Assistance & Supervisor Assistance Program

• Employee Assistance Program
• Supervisor assist
• Look@Life
• Standards and guidelines
  • Short term counselling
  • Specialist assistance
  • Confidentiality
  • EAP provider
  • Locations of available services
  • Charges
  • Referrals
  • Leave to attend counselling
  • Program implementation structure
  • Feedback

Employee Assistance Program

Monash University is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment. As part of this commitment Monash values the importance of the contribution of its staff. When staff are experiencing work-related and personal or health problems, it may affect their work performance as well as their quality of life and general sense of well being.

To support staff who are experiencing such difficulties, Monash offers a combined external/internal Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Staff can access the external counselling service provided by PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) (Phone: 1 300 361 008) or internal counselling services provided by University Counselling Service, Immediate family members of staff can access the counselling services provided by PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group).

Employee Assistance Program provides confidential counselling and consulting services that focus on the early assessment and prevention and/or remediation of personal problems experienced by employees or members of their families.

Supervisor Assist

Supervisor Assist is an extension of the EAP. Supervisors can contact an experienced consultant at PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) to discuss or obtain advice about a staff member (or a group of staff) whose behaviour causes them concern. The Supervisor Assist program is designed to give supervisors options and to assist them in deciding a practical course of action. It is also there to help them with their own emotions and stress levels.

The following lists some of the issues the Supervisor Assist program might be used for:

• Managing interpersonal conflict
• Responding to staff whose problems are having an impact on work
• Assisting a staff member not coping with change
• Managing difficulties with team functioning

Supervisor Assist is a confidential telephone counselling service that is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Look@life

Look@life is an additional on-line resource provided by PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) via their website that provides information on ‘Counselling in a click’, Email@ssist, and articles on personal health, relationships, and general wellbeing.

• Look@Life (Monash Staff only)

Standards and Guidelines

The University provides access to confidential, professional assistance for all staff and their immediate families through the provision of the EAP. The key principles of the EAP are to ensure that:

• It is available to all staff members and their immediate families at no cost to them;
• Access to EAP is voluntary;
• Professional counselling is provided by qualified psychologists;
• Strictest confidentiality is maintained;
• Staff members seeking assistance will not jeopardise their employment in any way;
• EAP is provided jointly by PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) a professional accredited provider, (Phone: 1 300 361 008) independent of the University and Monash's University Counselling Services. Staff have a choice to seek assistance from either of the providers.
• There is ongoing monitoring and review of the effectiveness of the operation of EAP at Monash.

The EAP offers assistance for issues such as:

Short Term counselling

The program is available to all staff and their immediate families. 'Immediate family' is defined as spouse, partner (including same sex and de-facto), household members and dependants (including adopted and foster children).

Professional counselling is provided free of charge. Generally problems can be dealt with in up to three counselling sessions. However in certain circumstances a referral may be necessary to obtain specialist advice.

Specialist Assistance

If the nature of the problem is such that further professional help is considered necessary or desirable, the providers will refer the staff member to an appropriate agency. If the staff member chooses to take up a referral outside the EAP, the staff member is responsible for any associated costs.

Confidentiality

A key feature of the EAP is the high level of confidentiality and respect for an individual's privacy. A staff member who wants to access the services of the EAP is not required to inform anyone of this or of the reason for accessing the EAP. Should you advise your supervisor that you are attending the EAP, he/she is required to observe strictest confidentiality and to support the staff member in accessing the EAP.

Confidentiality also means that no one, including the University, will receive information from the counsellor concerning the staff member's situation. Conversations and any information the staff member shares with a counsellor will be in strictest confidence and will not be communicated further unless written authorisation is given by the staff member.

EAP Provider

The University has contracted PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) to provide the EAP. This organization is a professional, accredited provider, independent of the University. Qualified, experienced psychologists offering a wide range of professional counseling services are used.

Locations of Available Services

Onsite EAP is provided by University Counselling services. The external provider has offices in the following locations. Contact (1 300 361 008) for an appointment at a convenient location.

Charges

The EAP service is free of charge to all University staff members and their families for three sessions each through PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group). In some instances, a counsellor may offer the option, in addition to their services, of a referral to a specialist agency, such as a solicitor, accountant, medical practitioner, specialist or another counsellor. If a referral is accepted, any costs involved are to be met by the staff member or family member.

Referrals

The three methods of referral to the Employee Assistance Program for counselling are:

1. Self referral
   
   The EAP is designed to encourage self referrals where the staff member has personal problems which they want to discuss in a private and confidential setting without anyone in the organisation being involved in any way. Arrangement for an appointment can be made directly by telephoning the University PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) (Phone: 1 300 361 008) or Counselling Services. Where a staff member decides to contact the external provider they need to advise PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) that they are from Monash University. Appropriate counsellors will then be allocated.
   
   
2. Suggested referral
   
   A colleague, a supervisor/manager, a family member or a doctor or someone else may recognise that a staff member is distressed or going through a difficult time and suggests using the EAP.
   
   
3. Management referral - informal
   
   Although EAP is designed to encourage self referral, there may be occasions when supervisors/managers suggest that a staff member seek counselling to assist with personal issues. Staff may, of course, decline the offer of counselling assistance.

Leave to Attend Counselling

PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group) conducts face-to-face counselling sessions during normal business hours. OSA also provides emergency telephone counselling 24 hours per day, 7 days per week (Phone: 1 300 361 008). Where the staff member wishes to be sure that no one from work is aware that they are attending counselling, they might arrange an appointment outside their normal work hours. The arrangements for taking time off during business hours will be the same as exist between supervisors and staff members for any form of absence from the workplace. The supervisor does not need to be informed of the nature of the problem.

University Counselling Services operates during business hours.

Program Implementation Structure

Senior Human Resources Consultant:

• Oversees the EAP contractual agreement.

EAP Coordinator

• Coordinates the promotion and education of staff in relation to the EAP service.
• Deals with staff concerns in relation to the provision of EAP.
• Assists managers and supervisors with the process of informal and formal referral.

Supervisor

• Recognises when a staff member presents with a problem.
• Encourages the staff member to access EAP.
• Maintains confidentiality where the staff member has advised them that they are accessing EAP.

Staff Member:

• Recognises when personal or work-related issues may be affecting their health and/or work performance and be willing to address the situation.
• Knows how to access the EAP to prevent the problems from reaching crisis point.
• Advises immediate family members that they are eligible to attend the EAP.

Feedback

Human Resources would welcome any feedback in regards to the services provided by PPC Worldwide (formerly OSA Group).

Joanne Turner
Phone: 9905 6034
Fax: 9905 6020
Email address: Joanne.Turner@adm.monash.edu.au

Written feedback can be sent anonymously to:

Joanne Turner
EAP Coordinator
Human Resources
Monash Business Park
710 Blackburn Road
Clayton 3800