United Helpers Adopts Employee Assistance Program

You would have to search pretty hard to find a person who has not been affected by a serious personal problem or crisis at one time or another during their lifetime. These types of issues typically affect not only a person’s home life, but the work environment as well. Some situations can be handled individually, but some life challenges can be best dealt with a little help and support. That’s where Employee Assistance Programs come in.

            Effective June 1, the United Helpers organization will team up with ENI, an industry-leading employee benefits provider specializing in Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), Corporate Wellness Programs, Health Advocacy Services, and Integrated Benefits Solutions to offer services for their nearly 1000 employees and their families.

            With their Balance Works program, ENI is geared to help individuals tackle any life event. Whether an employee is welcoming the birth of their first child, suffering from depression or purchasing a new home, ENI Benefit Information Specialists are available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week, to identify, counsel and recommend benefits tailored to their needs.

“We are pleased to offer this service to our employees,” said Stephen E. Knight, chief executive officer for United Helpers. “With ENI, we are able to help employees work through any life event that may arise immediately, confidentially.”

            An employee may not always understand every component of their benefit package or may not know exactly what benefits are offered and they may not always be comfortable discussing their situation with a supervisor or a coworker. “With ENI, we are ensuring that the information our employees are receiving is accurate and that their needs are being dealt with quickly on a personal, individualized basis with a trained professional,” said Jean Rowe, Human Resources Manager for United Helpers. “These services are available free of charge for our employees and their families as well.”

            When an employee or family member contacts ENI’s BalanceWorks hotline, they are connected with a trained Counselor or Personal Assistant who will guide them through a series of questions to determine the best level of care. Counseling services, child/Eldercare services, and legal and financial counseling are just a few of the areas that BalanceWorks can address. Employees and their family members also have access to hundreds of self-help and interactive videos, articles and professional development tools. Resources are also available via mobile access, so employees and family members are able to create an online account that they may retrieve at any time with a user name and password.

            ENI’s Balance Works program also offers support and training for management and supervisory staff. “If not managed well, personal problems can quickly turn into personnel problems,” Rowe added. “Balance Works also works to ensure that our supervisory and management teams have the support they need to be successful.”

            United Helpers operates more than 35 facilities located throughout St. Lawrence and Jefferson County and employs approximately 1000 people. To learn more about the new EAP program or any of the services offered by United Helpers, please call the United Helpers Management Company at 393-3074, or visit online at www.unitedhelpers.org.