Employees Plagued With Mental Health Worries

Stressed-Out Workers Burning Up EAP Hotlines: If half-year results of a Bensinger, DuPont & Associates survey are a true indicator, then employees are under more mental stress than ever. The Chicago-based professional services company says demand for its employee assistance programs has spiraled upward 74 percent during the first half of 2007 compared with the same period a year ago. More than a third (36 percent) of the callers called to request help with mental health issues. Nineteen percent requested help with legal issues, while 18 percent needed assistance to resolve problems with family and personal relationships. The news comes amid inception of the federal Mental Health Parity Act, which was passed this year and requires insurance companies to cover a broader array of costs associated with treating employees’ mental health conditions.