Communication Workers Union Meridian Branch

Union Office, British Telecom, Becket House, New Dover Road,

Canterbury, Kent, CT1 3BB

Tel: 01227 760311 Fax: 01227 815929 e-mail: cwumeridian@btconnect.com

BT's Employee Assistance Programme

 

Introduction

Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP’s) have been shown to have very real benefits for Client Organisations and individuals alike. The Client Organisation is able to support the well being of the individual in a practical way, which lessens the negative impact of the problem and the knock on effects this can have on performance at work. EAP’s are considered to be different from employee counselling services in that, although they involve counselling as a key component, they provide in addition a range of other services. These additional services include legal advice, dealing with debts and general financial advice.

 

BT's Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is delivered by PPC and managed on behalf of BT by the Accenture HR Services Employee Assistance Management team (EAM) who ensure the EAP is meeting BT's needs and that the services offered meet the highest standards.

This comprehensive EAP provides a range of personal and group services, which can help BT people deal with worrying or difficult situations, is pre-paid by BT and entirely free of charge for users.

No problem is too big or too small to bring to the EAP. The EAP is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year so that the help is available whenever it is needed.

 

Contact with the EAP is completely confidential.

 

The services break down into two major areas:

 

1. Services provided to all BT people free of charge.

 

Personal counselling

Brief, focused counselling is employed by the EAP's professionally qualified counsellors and an independent counsellor can help individuals work through issues and look at alternative methods of resolving them. The EAP makes available both face to face and telephone counselling.

 

Advice lines
The legal advice line offers a comprehensive service where callers are put in touch with qualified lawyers who can advise on a wide range of legal matters.

The financial advice line is provided by fully qualified financial advisors. Consumer issues - Advice can be given in such areas as complaint against traders, faulty goods etc.

State Benefits/ Social Services- For advice on benefits such as income support, housing benefit, attendance allowance etc. or concerning child abuse, community care, adoption, care homes etc.
For more details on the advice lines and contact information please click here.

 

2. Consultancy Services for BT's Management Team free of charge (unless indicated).

 

Employee Assistance Management Consultants
The Employee Assistance Management Consultants support BT managers who are seeking guidance with particular issues concerning an individual or a group of staff. Consultancy is available on an ad hoc, day to day, basis and is free of charge.
 

Often the consultancy will be a case of exploring the various options for help that are available both within and outside the company. A line manager can also use the consultancy service as a sounding board for proposed courses of action he or she may be thinking of taking so that they arrive at the best solution for all concerned.
 

 

Advice and Support

Information Available

A key component of the BT EAP is the access to a range of advice and support services. These additional services include legal advice, dealing with debts and general financial advice, information on state benefits and voluntary organisations.

In addition to the services provided by the EAP, BT people have access to support through organisations such as the British Telecom Benevolent Fund (BTBF), and their Trade Unions. These organisations may be able to assist in times of financial hardship.

 

Contacting the EAP Advice Line.

The representatives who answer the telephone calls are fully trained and experienced in working with individuals to ensure they are put in touch with the most appropriate service. Callers can contact the BT EAP 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year ensuring that help is available whenever it is needed.

 

Contact with the EAP is completely confidential and individuals can call direct on 0800 917 6767 or +441865 397076 for outside the UK (For UK and Asia Pacific based BT employees only)

Alternatively you may make contact with the EAP team by sending an e-mail

 

EAP Advice Line - The Range on Offer

 

Legal advice

This comprehensive service puts callers in touch with qualified lawyers who can advise on a wide range of legal matters. Examples of areas covered include: matrimonial law, landlord and tenant, property disputes, probate, wills, court of protection, power of attorney etc.

 

Financial advice

The advice is provided by fully qualified financial advisors. The advice is totally independent and confidential and examples of the types of areas covered are: advice on loans and overdrafts, general financial planning, debt concerns, mortgage advice, personal taxation issues etc.

 

Consumer issues
Advice can be given in such areas as complaint against traders, faulty goods, poor workmanship, holiday complaints etc.

 

State Benefits/ Social Services

For advice on benefits such as income support, housing benefit, and attendance allowance etc. Advice concerning child abuse, community care, adoption, care homes etc.

 

Organisations
Please contact the EAP for Information about voluntary organisations including addresses and telephone numbers.

 

British Telecom Benevolent Fund (BTBF)

 

BT Benevolent Fund (BTBF)

The BT Benevolent Fund exists to provide financial help to current and former BT people, and their dependents, who may be experiencing financial hardship.

 

Assistance for current employees can be by grants or interest-free loans, repayable through salary deductions. Typically help may be available with priority debts such as rent, mortgage and council tax arrears, or utility payments, in cases where eviction is a real risk, due to long-term illness, redundancy, relationship break-up or other unforeseen events.

 

Employees who feel the Fund may be able to help them must in the first instance call the BT Employee Assistance Programme on 0800 917 6767, where details of their situation, including specific financial information, will be taken in order to prepare a case to go to the Fund if judged appropriate.

 

Visit the Fund’s website at www.benevolent.bt.com to find out more about their work.

 

 

Trades Unions in BT

 

The Communication Workers Union (CWU)

The CWU can provide a range of support and assistance, including provisions for members in hardship or financial distress.

The CWU can be contacted by telephone on 020 8971 7200. Their website can be accessed at www.cwu.org (for full access to the information, members can log in with their membership number).

 

Connect Prospect
Connect Prospect is the union for managers and professionals within BT.
For more information on the range of support Connect Prospect can provide, they can be contacted on 020 8971 6000 or via their web site at http://connect.prospect.org.uk/services. (For full access to the information, members can log in with their membership number).

Examples of the services available to members are free legal and independent financial advice twenty four hour insurance cover etc.