Bernie Dyme on August 25th, 2010

I must admit that the last few months have been very exciting for me and Perspectives Ltd.  As I have mentioned on other occasions, Perspectives and I have been providing services to the workplace for almost 30 years, primarily via EAPs. And during that time, we have seen the workplace and the EAP field change [...]

Continue reading about We’ve Acquired Another High-Touch EAP Company

Bernie Dyme on August 11th, 2010

This morning, I read something that really disturbed me.  It was a blog about Roy Hobbs, a Chicago native, veteran journalist and weekend television anchor in Birmingham, Alabama who was arrested in April on drug charges.  He was a prominent personality who was afflicted with drug addiction and needed help. 
To make matters worse, he claims [...]

Continue reading about Auditing Your EAP For Effectiveness May Save Lives

Rick Kronberg on July 28th, 2010

As floods plague communities around the Chicago area, many businesses and their employees are being affected. Basic survival instincts have kicked-in as families, whose homes have been damaged or destroyed, fight to find warm beds, food and clothing.
Organizations like the Red Cross often provide some initial stress or grief counseling as part of their [...]

Continue reading about Under The Weather? EAP Can Help Flood Victims Cope

Jon Vegosen on July 22nd, 2010

Looking for more information about legal issues impacting the workplace? 
This month, Jon Vegosen points us to a variety of resources with insights on employment law developments.
Parental Leave Provisions of the FMLA Expanded
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has expanded the parental leave provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to cover nontraditional [...]

Continue reading about Employment Law Updates: July 2010

Bernie Dyme on July 12th, 2010

Healthcare costs aside, Illinois businesses may be paying dearly for bad employee habits.
Illinois ranks among the worst states in the nation for binge drinking (47th) and smoking (38th), according to the July 5th issue of Crain’s Chicago Business. 
When you take a closer look at the data, which comes from the United Health Foundation’s “America’s Health [...]

Continue reading about Illinois Likes to Binge Drink & Smoke

Yesterday, CBS news reported that Chicago has the worst heroin problem in the U.S. 
The report, based on research by Roosevelt University’s Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy, claims that there were 23,000 mentions of heroin in emergency room records in Chicago and its suburbs. 
That has a huge impact on employer healthcare costs and productively regardless of [...]

Continue reading about Chicago’s Heroin Problem May Shoot-Up Employer Healthcare Costs

Terry Cahill on June 29th, 2010

The deadline is July 1, 2010 but many companies are still struggling to understand compliance.
As a provider of employee assistance program (EAP) and managed behavioral health (MBH) services, Perspectives Ltd is in a unique position to help employees before they tap into a businesses’ mental health benefit. 
That can really cut costs for an employer. 
We’re doing [...]

Continue reading about Are You Ready for Mental Health Parity?

Jon Vegosen on June 28th, 2010

Jon Vegosen briefs us on important developments regarding employee texting.
The United States Supreme Court addressed employer monitoring of employees’ text messages for the first time on June 17, 2010 in the case City of Ontario v. Quon.  The opinion underscores the need for employers to address text messaging and other newer forms of electronic communication [...]

Continue reading about Employment Law Updates: June 2010

Rick Kronberg on June 14th, 2010

Throughout history people have invented new ways to get high – as an escape from the stress of daily life and real problems that need to be faced. 
Today is no exception.
Perspectives Ltd’s Employee Assistance program (EAP) Counselors regularly speak with employees from every walk of life, facing every kind of challenge.  Those conversations are confidential, [...]

Continue reading about ALERT: A New Substance May Be Plaguing Your Workplace

Bernie Dyme on June 10th, 2010

Recently, I opened up my “Google Alerts” and saw a story about Federal benefits being extended to same-sex domestic partners.  I was immediately excited to see the President of the United States opening up benefits beyond traditional family members – and that an employee assistance program (EAP) was included.
Although I’m delighted by this decision, it [...]

Continue reading about Obama, EAP and the Definition of “Family”