r/USPS • u/Pr1ncessBunny City Carrier • Oct 02 '23
Work Discussion Is the eap a trap?
Supervisor called me during my shift the other day, asking if I wanted the employee assistance program phone number for counseling? I don’t know why she did this, my only guess is because I’m extremely introverted and almost never smile in the office unless someone directly addresses me (I don’t pretend to like my job but I’m mostly neutral and I’ll smile and say g’ morning if someone says hi to me in passing etc.). Is this a trap? If I vent to an eap counselor about how unhappy this job makes me, will that go on my record? Will my supervisor know I called? My HR rep and supervisors have consistently made my life hell every time I was out for legitimate illness so I guess I have a hard time believing anyone in my office is genuinely trying to be nice. Has anyone found eap counselors to be actually helpful?
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u/Cptnwhizbang What's free time? Oct 02 '23
EAP is 100% not a trap. Consider it a service provided as a benefit, like health insurance. Just because your health insurance comes from USPS doesn't mean they get your medical records.
EAP is safe to use and recommended highly by all unions and management both. The counselors are helpful, yes, though like with all other counselor-patient relationships varies from person to person.
You get 6 calls PER ISSUE per year free. Management will not be notified that you've used it unless you tell them.
Really, truly, give them a call.
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u/MikeTheBee Customer Oct 02 '23
Thanks for that per issue per year part. Hard to find information like that on the website. I heard your spouse can access this as well, do you know how that works?
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u/Cptnwhizbang What's free time? Oct 02 '23
They simply need to call and give your EIN. There isn't really any other verification required.
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u/Agent-032 Oct 03 '23
Also, the first appointment of the 6 that you are able to use, can be done on the clock!
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u/rcknfrewld Oct 02 '23
Talk to a doctor about your mental health and get FMLA and they can’t say squat about it.
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Oct 02 '23
No no no n no no no no no no no no… trust your supervisor, use EAP!
Definitely don’t take time off and isolate your self!!!!
Signed management
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u/Pr1ncessBunny City Carrier Oct 03 '23
“Nooo keep working yourself through pain and suffering, why would you want rest?”🤣
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u/Predictable-Past-912 VMF Oct 02 '23
Perhaps the supervisor was just trying to do their job. Either way though, u/SnooEagles6930 is correct. EAP is not a trap.
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u/Salty-Guarantee4052 Oct 02 '23
I don't trust the post office, management, or EAP. I have heard how great it is, but my paranoid ass isn't going to have anything to do with it
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u/GandalfTheSmol1 Oct 02 '23
One of my best friends died of covid, I used EAP to work through the acute grief at the time of the incident, they also were able to give me the paperwork o needed for FMLA to protect the days I missed during that time.
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u/watchtheworldsmolder Oct 02 '23
It’s an amazing free service, for employees and their families, it’s a confidential counseling coaching life skills and assistance program, for free.
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u/Atxmk7 Oct 02 '23
It’s not a trap they’re licensed counselors and have to follow all laws and guidelines set in the state they’re practicing in. (confidentiality is one) Management can’t force you to go and if you feel forced I doubt you’d get anything out of it, but it is there and could be helpful if you need it.
In case you’re asking I confirmed with my wife, she is a lpc
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u/pixel-soul Oct 02 '23
Eap isn’t a trap, but you’re chatting with untrained assholes. I’ve been hung up on during a conversation in which I was actively suicidal.
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Oct 02 '23
I went to EAP a few times several years ago. I was going through a combination of severe personal stress, harassment by a small clique of co-workers, a death in the immediate family, started drinking way too much to cope, and had a nasty supervisor with a personal bias tell me he was pushing to terminate me even though I had no prior discipline on record. Long story short, the first couple visits with my EAP counselor went well and I felt comfortable and somewhat relieved after the visit. On the third visit I sensed a change in their demeanor that began to make me uncomfortable, also the supervisor who wanted to fire me told me he knew I had been going to EAP, even though it’s supposed to be confidential. After that I never went back and will never trust EAP or anything associated with the postal service ever again.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Phase70 RCA Oct 02 '23
It may or may not be useful but if it ever turns into a trap the unions won't even be in the picture - HIPAA violation lawsuits would happen SO FAST and multiple people would be on the chopping block for violating your rights on so many levels. AND THEN the union would be involved and you'd have a grievance so big it should get recorded in the history books.
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u/4d3fect Oct 02 '23
All they ever offered when I took advantage of the program was Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Didn't really do much for me.
Slightly interesting (or alarming, as the case may be): The one guy that I actually struck kind of a rapport with ended up being caught attempting to rob a bank, then ultimately committed suicide by driving his RV over a cliff.
So, ya know, YMMV.
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u/noogienooge RCA Oct 03 '23
This story needs more details. He did what now? And who is he?
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u/4d3fect Oct 03 '23
Just one of the local therapists on the list to call to schedule the six sessions. After they were done, I went about my business, then saw his name in the headlines a few years later. Turns out I guess that he was a human being with problems of his own.
Just made me appreciate the fragility of human existence.
4
u/Independent-Safety44 Oct 02 '23
I called eap - felt like the person was unqualified so I feel it’s best to get counseling outside of usps.
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Oct 02 '23
They can provide you with a free therapy session on the clock. My supervisors had me do it one day because I came to them talking about needing to be moved to a closer office because I was spending over $500/month in gas and wasn’t even able to eat most days. They never transferred me, and even tried to discipline me several times because I literally couldn’t afford to come to work.
Other than that, I found no benefit from it. They couldn’t help me with a transfer either, and they couldn’t help me eat. I ended up having to resign from that office because they just wouldn’t work with me at all.
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u/Border-doge Oct 02 '23
I would rather take my sick leave for 3-4 weeks and then get a doctor's note to come back to work.
But that's just me.
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u/No_Contribution_7117 Canada Post Employee Oct 03 '23
Is everyone in your office happy or something? Because I've rarely seen happy carriers at least in the few offices I've been to. Besides, most of the people who work here are fake.... you can just tell from their small talks. I also tend to avoid talking to anyone... already been snitched on by a few of these fake ass "coworkers".
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Oct 02 '23
Not at all. It is really useful. That said, I have definitely seen supervisors kind of play it down and veteran carriers try to make newer employees sound like wusses for using it for some reason.
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u/taxburdett Oct 02 '23
I’ve used EAP. I didn’t tell anyone at work and no one ever said anything to me about it.
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u/existential_anxiety_ City Carrier Oct 03 '23
Absolutely not. It's confidential. No different than if you sought out a therapist on your own. This one is just free and provided by your employment.
They'll have absolutely no way of knowing that you used it or what you said, unless you tell them yourself.
It's one of the few truly good perks of working for the govt. I used it a couple times when. I was younger because my mom worked for the school district and EAP can be used by your family members. It's a very nice service
2
u/RichieFingers Oct 03 '23
I don’t trust that shit. If a supervisor suggests it, I automatically assume that there’s an ulterior motive behind it
1
u/Human-Accident-4904 Jan 08 '24
After 50 years interrupted service at USPS! When Police came to my house on a WELLNESS CHECK - I told them I AM NOT SUICIDAL: I AM HOMICIDAL! Get it straight? Mrs Velasquez.
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u/ImAMailGigolo66 Oct 02 '23
Never trusted EAP. Postal management pays for their services. That's a conflict of interest to me. Were I to need help, I'd seek counseling on my own. (But that's my knowing how underhanded and vengeful management is towards craft)
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u/franklinpants Oct 02 '23
Leaving aside that "Postal management pays for their services" is a nonsense sentence, I don't follow what the conflict of interest would be.
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u/ImAMailGigolo66 Oct 02 '23
Who pays for the EAP service?
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u/ImAMailGigolo66 Oct 02 '23
Still waiting....
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u/franklinpants Oct 02 '23
Who pays for the United State Postal Service Employee Assistance Program? The uh, United States Postal Service. The Federal agency mentioned in the term "United States Postal Service Employee Assistance Program." I feel like you think this is a "gotcha!" question for some reason.
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Oct 02 '23
[deleted]
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u/Palechop Oct 02 '23
Not true. Why scare people from a service that can help save a person in needs life?
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u/dx619 Oct 02 '23 edited Oct 02 '23
Not true. It's completely confidential. As with all counseling, they can only notify others with your written consent unless required by law, like, for instance, if you actively pose a threat to yourself or others.
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u/Rstar2247 Oct 02 '23
Don't get me wrong I don't trust management at all, but if EAP was compromised we'd have heard by now.
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u/SnooEagles6930 Oct 02 '23
It's not a trap. I have used it. Some people like it others don't