Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Report to the

2019 AFS Annual General Meeting

I was pleased to continue to serve as the AFS Chair of the Employee Assistance Program

The objective of the CRA’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is to help employees who may be experiencing personal, health or work-related problems by making available to them and their families an effective, confidential, neutral, and voluntary EAP, without prejudice to job security or career progression.

Mental Health is becoming more of an issue as the work shifts more from Physical work to Intellectual(Mental) Work.  As the pressure to meet Legislation & Program Deadlines and a Culture of  Focusing on Cost Savings exists within the Agency the mental stress on AFS members has been increasing on a year to year basis.  For 2017, 49.5% of Total Long term Disability Claims were for Mental Heath Conditions.   

In terms of employee usage:

4.54% of employees accessed EAP in the last year, 

2,311 cases were opened  (2,039 Employees and 272 Family members)

The top three issues are (people can reports multiple issues)

  1. Family 33.53%
  2. Health – Emotional/Mental  40.09%
  3. Work Issues 13.38%

EAP is also provides Advisory Services for Managers. Union Representatives and HR Professionals. 

The challenge going forward is to maintain an improve the benefits and services our members(including their families) have so that they have the resources, support and time to deal with any personal, health or work issues.

Allaudin Alibhai