Is an EAP consult considered an authorized absence for a federal employee?

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Is an EAP consult considered an authorized absence for a federal employee?

By Bureaupat Jul 08 2009, 08:41 AM

Dear Bureaupat,

Is an employee entitled to authorized absence for EAP appointments or does he or she have to use their leave? Thanks.

Dear Inquisitive,

We all face a time in our life when we need to or should seek professional help for problems. Those working in the bureaucratic trenches and highly political officers where CYA is the motto are particularly prone to stress.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is available to feds for discreet and confidential referrals for issues such as: alcohol and drug abuse, behavioral disorders, excessive stress from adverse family situations, financial difficulty, legal entanglements, or any other personal problems that interfere with job performance or health.

The key to EAP is that it is confidential and a request for an excused absence, known as administrative leave, is a neon light to your supervisor saying, "I'm seeking help, leave me the hell alone."

So if you seek administrative leave, please be advised your supervisor must be notified since administrative leave may be granted at the discretion of the division/office administrator or the agency director or designee. While this may not seem entirely confidential, it is a necessary evil to ensure proper checks and balances for employees who might otherwise take advantage of every possible reason not to come to work and be paid for doing so. There is one in every office.

If you choose to request/negotiate leave to attend a scheduled appointment with an EAP counselor during working hours, your administrative leave may include travel to and from the appointment up to a maximum of six (6) to eight (8) sessions per issue, per calendar year, depending on your agency. If used, you must obtain a "Work Absence Verification" slip from the EAP and provide it to the supervisor to document attendance. All other information is kept confidential by EAP, and is not shared with the supervisor or any other agency representative.

However, if an EAP counselor refers you to a counselor or provider outside the EAP, those appointments will not be covered by administrative leave and are the responsibility of the employee to handle with accrued leave.

Supervisors may ask for confirmation of EAP attendance only before they grant administrative leave and cannot inquire as to diagnosis or prognosis. They must also adhere to the "need to know" policy which states: "when granted administrative leave or any other special classification on an employee time and attendance record, you may not reveal to anyone without a direct need to know the purpose of the unique T&A classification."And by T&A, they mean time and attendance, not what you see at a Hooters chicken wing buffet.

Any supervisor who violates an employees privacy regarding EAP attendance may be subject to disciplinary and/or civil action.

Even though voluntary or recommended use of EAP cannot be used against you, most people prefer to keep their personal matters to themselves. To do this, use your annual leave and avoid the issue altogether.

The only,

- Bureaupat