B. Beidel – Ethics for the Employee Assistance Professional: Act III Bernard E. Beidel, M.Ed., CEAP Director, Office of Employee Assistance U.S. House of Representatives ValueOptions November 12, 2009

Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 1 B. Beidel –  Utilize a contracted network affiliate provider who is appropriately licensed but has no background or experience in EAP, to see a client formally referred by management.

B. Beidel –  Count a simple telephone inquiry, with no face-to-face counseling, as a “case” in a utilization report. Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 2

B. Beidel – Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 3  Delay a planned promotional campaign as a way to prevent utilization from exceeding your projected utilization rate.

B. Beidel – Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 4  Exaggerate the scope and availability of your EAP affiliate network in order to procure a new account with a multi- location employer.

B. Beidel – Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 5  Sell a 1-8 visit short-term counseling EAP and routinely refer beyond the EAP to the employer’s benefit plan after one EA assessment session.

B. Beidel – Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 6  Provide one counseling session with multiple family members and count each family member as a separate case in a utilization report.

B. Beidel – Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 7  Refer an EAP client for ongoing care to a clinical social worker who is a good match for the client but also happens to be a partner and owner in your clinical practice.

B. Beidel – Business Ethics - Ethical Dilemma 8  Encourage a client to try telephone counseling and review of online educational materials to see if these interventions help before setting up a face-to-face session with an EAP counselor.

Ethical Scenario - 1 An employee who works in the accounts payable department voluntarily comes to the EAP complaining of financial problems and depression. There have been many medical problems in his family and considerable financial distress as a result. No problems with addictions are identified during the assessment. During the session, the employee mentions having “borrowed” $2,000 to $3,000 per month from company funds and he says that his embezzlement total is now near $75,000. To your knowledge, there is no HR policy relating to the reporting of embezzlement. However, you are confident that evidence of embezzlement would lead to immediate termination. He is not willing to admit this to anyone in the company and will not turn himself in to the police. He voluntarily came to the EAP to seek help for his depression. As the EA counselor:  Would you honor his confidentiality and say nothing to the company?  Would your response be influenced by whether you were fully dependent upon this employer for your salary?  Clinically, could the depression be treated without addressing the issue of theft?  How would you engage the client in the decision-making process? B. Beidel –

B. Beidel – Ethical Scenario - 2 An employee contacts you for stress. During the evaluation he admits to using cocaine frequently throughout the workday. He is an accountant, drives a company car and goes to jobsites, as well as takes clients to lunch. Your evaluation determines that he is abusing cocaine and is a candidate for treatment. He decides he doesn’t want treatment.  Would you consider this a “safety-sensitive” position?  If yes, what is your responsibility to the company? Would you notify anyone in the company? If no release is obtained, would you still notify someone in the company?  What is your responsibility to those whose lives may be endangered?  How would you proceed with your client?  What other systems could you involve (e.g. work group, family)?

B. Beidel – Ethical Scenario - 3 An employee has been referred to the EA service by her supervisor, who also happens to be a personal friend of the employee’s, having worked together at the company for nearly fifteen years. The supervisor has indicated that the employee has been spending a significant amount of her work time on the internet and has been counseled about this on several occasions over the past year. The employee has received a final warning regarding her use and abuse of the internet during work hours, and the supervisor is making a formal referral to the EA service in conjunction with this final warning. The supervisor indicates that another incident will result in the employee’s immediate termination. During your review of the employee’s performance history with the supervisor, the supervisor mentions that he and the employee used to “party together” and that making this referral has been extremely difficult. During the initial assessment with the employee, she reveals to the EA that she routinely participates in “sexual chat-room discussions,” visits “hook-up sites” during work, and has arranged to meet with different men for sexual encounters on occasion during lunch or after work in the evening.  Given this information, how would you begin to approach this case?  Are there any ethical issues that you are concerned about?  If so, what are they?  Do you have everything that you need to effectively resolve any of the issues that you are concerned about?

B. Beidel – Ethics Decision-Making Worksheet Description of Issue/Incident/Situation FACTS / ISSUES STAKEHOLDERS ENVIRONMENT / CONTEXT OPTIONS MOST ETHICALLY FEASIBLE CHOICE DECISION ACTION / REVIEW