When to Refer to the EAP

Make a supervisor referral when performance problems continue despite your usual attempts to correct them through supervision or supervisory coaching. Your employee may or may not have a personal problem at this point, but the criteria for a supervisor referral exists --- a continuing performance problem.

A troubled employee is an employee whose personal problems definitely, and repeatedly interfere with job performance -- attendance, quality of work, behavior/conduct, or availability.

Refer employees early before problems become severe and your relationship deteriorates. Don't ignore a developing problems. Don't fear that your employee will be insulted for your recommending the EAP.

	A supervisor referral is based upon job performance issues. It is not based upon the supervisor's belief in the existence of a personal problem. A personal problem may exist, and symptoms of it may appear obvious, but the rationale for supervisor involvement is always performance.
	Conduct and behavioral problems may meet the criteria for referral to the EAP immediately (inappropriate behavior, violence, sexual harassment, etc.)
	A supervisor can encourage an employee to use the EAP in response to the disclosure of a personal problem. No management issue exists, to this is a self-referral from the employee's and supervisor's perspective.