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Employee Benefits

to the organization as a whole, not just the individual BIBLIOGRAPHY
clients who receive direct services. Browning, Darrell (1994). “Stamping Out Violence.” Human
Resources Executive, 22-25.
Both managers and employee clients expect staff
members of in-house EAPs to be especially adept in
matching an employee’s needs with resources that provide Patrick J. Highland
prompt and effective intervention. The depth and thor-
oughness of the assessment is a means of increasing the
probability that key problems will be identified and prior-
itized accurately. Failure to meet these expectations can EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
adversely affect the credibility of the EAP. As a result, most Employee benefits are compensations given to employees
EAPs devote a significant part of program resources to in addition to regular salaries or wages. These compensa-
locating, evaluating, and updating their network of
tions are given at the entire or partial expense of the
providers. The referral function is distinct from the proce-
employer. Benefit packages usually make up between 30
dures governing the internal services. Referring is the
and 40 percent of an employee’s total compensation for
process of locating one or more providers external to the employment, which makes them an important aspect of
employer to supply ongoing services to deal with the terms of employment. While some employee benefits
employee concerns. These external resources may assume are required by law, many employers offer additional ben-
responsibility for all of a client’s needs or they may be
efits in order to attract and retain quality workers and
ancillary to the work being done in-house by an EAP
maintain morale. Some types of benefits are also used as
counselor.
incentives to encourage increased worker productivity.
Most employees are not well informed about treat-
ment programs, community agencies, or even self-help LEGALLY REQUIRED BENEFITS
groups. EAPs must educate them about available services,
their relative benefits, and how these resources are viewed While some benefits are offered as incentives to attract
in the community. In addition, clients often need to be workers, some are legally required. For example, employ-
ers must provide workers’ compensation insurance, which
encouraged to assume a consumer orientation regarding
pays the medical bills for job-related injuries and provides
referral sources. Having to apply for any kind of help is
an income for employees who become disabled because of
intimidating, and it is difficult for the uninitiated to rec-
ognize appropriate or inappropriate requirements. Clients a job-related injury. Social Security must be paid by the
should be told that if they decide a resource is not accept- employer (in addition to the amounts deducted from
able they may return to the EAP for other options. employees’ pay) to help meet employees’ retirement needs,
and employers must pay for unemployment insurance to
compensate workers in the event that their job is elimi-
PERSONAL PROBLEMS
nated. The Family and Medical Leave Act, passed by Con-
People thrive on things they do well. Often it is their gress in 1993, requires large employers to provide workers
work. A happy, healthy worker is likely to be a productive with unpaid leave for family or medical emergencies (up
one. Conversely, personal problems can hamper an to twelve weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year).
employee’s performance. Sometimes problems can be alle- Under this law, employees are guaranteed that they can
viated quickly, but often the problems extend over long return to the same or a comparable position and that their
periods of time. The impact on the employee will vary, health care coverage will be continued during the leave.
but there will usually be noticeable change in behavior
and attitude. Personal problems are significant hurdles TRADITIONAL TYPES OF
that every person living in today’s complex society will
confront in one fashion or another. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Because of continually rising health care costs, one of the
Employees’ personal problems can have many
most desirable types of benefits for employees to have is a
sources. Most can be categorized into one of the following
health insurance plan. These plans can be set up to cover
categories: substance abuse, health related, family related,
the individual worker and, in many cases, the worker’s
and financial. Almost every adult will deal with one or
family as well; they may or may not include such options
more of these problems. It is how individuals deal with as dental, eye, chiropractic, hospital, and other types of
these problems, and the level of support they receive in health care. Health insurance plans may be provided at no
addressing the issue, that will determine the intensity of
cost to employees, or they may be made available at a
the problem’s impact.
more desirable rate than employees could get on their
SEE ALSO Employee Benefits own. The health insurance aspect of a benefit package is

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE, SECOND EDITION 239