Transcript Office of Human Resources

Distressed and Distressing
Employees Protocol
Office of Human Resources
Objective
• The goal of the Distressed/Distressing Employee
Protocol is to be a supportive mechanism for
employees who are facing challenges in their
everyday lives.
• It will help employees identify the appropriate
support and assistance they might need.
• It will identify resources within the Office of Human
Resources and within the Employee Assistance
Program.
• It is not the intent of this program to be disciplinary
in nature.
Who is a Distressed or Distressing Employee?
• An employee who tells you that
he/she is personally troubled
• An employee who tells you that
he/she is troubled about or by another
employee
• You, yourself, are concerned about an
employee and/or about their potential
impact on other employees
Employee Assistance Program
• Resource provided to assist all employees
with any personal and professional issues.
• Available to all UMass Boston employees
• Confidential
• Easy to use
• Free
• Ceridian/LifeWorks is UMass Boston’s
Employee Assistance Program provider
• (888)267-8126 or www.lifeworks.com
• User ID: UMass/password: lifeworks
The Distressed or Distressing Employee Protocol
 Step One: Gather Information
 Step Two: Assess the level of
distress
 Step Three: Assess your
relationship to the employee
Step One: Gather Information
• Identify possible warning signs, either through
direct observation or disclosure of information.
• The warning signs can be:
• Psychological
• Physical
• Professional
Step Two: Assess Level of Distress
• Urgent: Responder should immediately
contact Public Safety at 617-287-1212 or 911
from any campus phone
• Example: Employee is at immediate risk of
harming self or others; employee is
unresponsive or incoherent.
• Important, but not urgent: Responder should
proceed to Step Three
Step Three: Assess Your Relationship
to the Employee
• If you know the employee and feel you have the
experience, ability, and time to try and deal with the
employee directly, contact Human Resources first to
determine what assistance they may need and should
additional help be needed BEFORE you initiate a
conversation with the employee regarding the matter.
• If you do NOT know the employee or you do not feel
you have the experience or ability to try and deal with
the employee directly, contact the Office of Human
Resources by telephone at (617)287-5106 or by email
[email protected].
During the Conversation
• Let the employee know what you have noticed
about his or her behavior that has caused you
to be worried and express your concern.
• Example: “I have noticed you’ve missed
deadlines three times in the past two
weeks.”
• Do not promise to keep the conversation
confidential
• Ask open-ended questions and listen carefully
• Recommend they call the Employee
Assistance Program
After the Conversation
• Inform the person in charge of your area or
department of the situation and your actions.
• Contact the Office of Human Resources by
telephone at (617)287-5150 or by email
([email protected]) to express
your concern and inform them of your actions
either that day or the next business day (if the
concern arose after business hours).
What Happens Next?
• Report will be reviewed by Margaret
Peterson-Pinkham in the Office of Human
Resources
• A course of action addressing the concern
will be developed, which may include
another referral to the Employee
Assistance Program.