1. What are the Employee Assistance and Respectful Workplace Programs?
The Employee Assistance and Respectful Workplace Programs (EARWP) Division acts as an impartial and neutral safe space for employees seeking personal counselling and conflict resolution services from highly trained, registered professional staff in a confidential setting.
The EARWP Division serves as the first point of contact for employees and their immediate family members in need of support and advice, and access to mental health and services. The division also provides consultative services for managers in relation to employee mental health and provides trauma support as required for traumatic events impacting employees and workplaces.
The EARWP Division provides services to government departments and some agencies. The division also has several partnerships and memorandums of understanding, serving other public service entities including NL Housing Corporation, Legal Aid Commission, NL English School District (management employees), Oil and Gas Corporation and the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC).
Services are available to government employees and their immediate family members. This includes spouse/partner and family members up to 24 years of age living in the same household.
If you are unsure if you qualify for EARWP services, please contact the division to inquire about eligibility.
Support is available for mental health concerns, mental illness, marital and relationship issues, grief and loss, addictions to alcohol, drugs or gambling, financial stress, workplace stress, workplace conflict and traumatic workplace incidents.
The EARWP Division provides consultation and advisory supports to employees having interpersonal conflict or are engaged in initiating or responding to harassment complaints.
EARWP is a short-term program that may include assessment, counselling and/or a referral to a contracted service provider.
Psychological testing and assessment are outside the scope of EARWP.
Employees can now access services by completing the online application form here.
Employees can access services through a self-referral by contacting the EARWP central intake telephone number at 709-729-2290 (local) or 1-888-729-2290 (toll free).
Calls and applications to the EARWP Division will be responded to within one business day.
Important: Employees who are availing of services for a family member must speak with a coordinator directly to initiate services.
An employer cannot mandate an employee to avail of counselling services, however, they can recommend and encourage support should employee performance be impacted.
Departments can formally refer employees to EARWP to assist with workplace performance, mental health, or conflict related issues.
Confidentiality is a key principle of the EARWP Division. Confidentiality means that your coordinator must keep all information that relates to your involvement in the program private.
Confidentiality of employees is protected unless there is an apparent risk to harm of oneself, others, or a minor.
In accordance with the Personal Health Information Act, the EARWP Division will not disclose information provided in the course of a counselling consultation, coaching, mediation or group intervention unless required to do so by law or with informed consent from relevant employees.
EARWP provides a maximum of $680.00 per fiscal year for professional services. Your coordinator will discuss any other benefits that may be available to you.
Professional services are covered at a rate of $85 per hour. Employees are responsible to cover the cost of a co-pay for services that exceed the covered amount.
Funding is available as one package per employee. Employees have the option to use their funding for themselves, or to allocate their funding to an eligible family member, at their own discretion.
Funding is allotted per fiscal year. Funding does not transfer into the next fiscal year if it has not been exhausted.
Government employees are encouraged to avail of coverage for services through Canada Life Insurance once benefits under the EARWP are exhausted.
Employees can also avail of EARWP funding for conflict coaching at a rate of $100 an hour up to $680 per fiscal year. This funding cannot be transferred to a family member and is renewed each year though unused funding is not carried forward.
If you are actively seeing your counsellor with coverage from EARWP, and there has not been a break in services for 3 months or more, your file is considered open.
If you have not seen your counsellor in 3 months, your EARWP file is closed, and you will be required to reach out to your coordinator.
If you are unsure if your file is open, or if you are inquiring about funding available, you are required to contact your coordinator to discuss these details.
Employees who have not accessed EARWP services in the past are required to book an intake appointment with an EARWP coordinator to discuss the nature of the problem(s) and service request. Coordinators are trained professionals who can provide immediate counselling, assessment, and conflict resolution services during the initial appointment, as necessary.
Upon completion of an intake appointment with an EARWP Coordinator, employees are referred to a professional service provider matched to their needs. Services are available in person, virtually and by telephone.
EARWP contracts service providers provincially through an interview process to ensure services are provided by qualified mental health professionals. All providers have been assessed for experience, specialty, practice integrity and skill relevance to our client needs across the province.
Recruitment of new service providers occurs biannually.
10. Can EARWP provide assistance with workplace conflict?
The EARWP Division provides consultation and advisory supports to employees having interpersonal conflict or are engaged in initiating or responding to harassment complaints.
The division is referenced throughout the Harassment-Free Workplace Policy as a resource to employees, managers and departments interested in resolving disputes through informal avenues, such as conflict coaching, mediation, and/or facilitated dialogue with an independent and neutral professional.
The division provides training and capacity building services which include information sessions, conflict management training, and department action planning toward addressing workplace issues.
The goal of EARWP is to provide necessary support to public service employees and departments towards the creation and maintenance of a healthy, inclusive, and respectful workplace culture.
11. Can I attend EARWP meetings during work hours?
Your coordinator cannot approve the use of work time to attend services. These matters are best addressed with your immediate supervisor.
Many of the providers associated with EARWP have the availability to meet with employees outside of work hours if this is preferred. Issues of provider availability can be discussed with your coordinator at the time of their intake call.
The EARWP Division partners with Credit Counselling Services of Newfoundland and Labrador to provide services for employees who are experiencing financial difficulties.
Employees have access to $300 per fiscal year for financial counselling through EARWP.
An intake appointment with a coordinator is required to arrange financial services.
