The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides counseling, guidance, and referral services to help employees and their families manage personal and work-related problems.
If you need help, call the 24-hour toll-free hotline:
EAP Hotline: 1-800-657-3366
Depending on the nature of your problem, you may receive immediate help, or arrangements will be made for you to meet with a counselor in your area, or you may receive information about other resources in your community.
More Information
Q. What is the EAP?
A. The EAP provides counseling, guidance, and referral services to help employees and their families manage personal and work-related problems. Generally, people can handle the problems and stresses of everyday life on their own. Sometimes, though, help from a skilled professional, respectful of your privacy, can provide guidance and support.
Q. What kind of help is available?
A. Crisis intervention, assessment, information and referral services are available for problems that affect your personal and work life. Counselors are available to talk with you about issues such as family and marital difficulties, drug and alcohol problems, mental health concerns and emotional distress.
Q. How does the EAP work?
A. Counselors are available through a 24-hour toll-free phone line. When you call the toll-free number you may receive immediate help for your problem, or arrangements will be made for you to meet with a counselor in your area. Depending on the nature of your problem, you may receive information about other resources in your community.
Q. Who can use this service?
A. All employees and their families are eligible to use the service. Family members include individuals in your immediate household and dependent children living away from home.
Q. How much does it cost?
A. Services provided by the EAP are at no cost to the employee or family member. Program services are offered by CSXT as part of the employee health benefit package. If outside treatment, counseling or other help is recommended by the Employee Assistance Professional, your health benefits may cover some or all of the related costs. Every effort will be made to find quality care within your ability to pay.
Voluntary Referral Policy
This railroad's program to comply with CFR 49, Part 219.403 is as follows:
Employment Relationship and Referral Sources
A covered employee who is affected by an alcohol or drug use problem may maintain an employment relationship with the railroad if, before the employee is charged with conduct deemed by the railroad sufficient to warrant dismissal, the employee seeks assistance through the railroad for the employee's alcohol or drug use problem or is referred for such assistance by another employee or by a representative of the employee's collective bargaining unit. The railroad must specify whether, and under what circumstances, its policy provides for the acceptance of referrals from other sources, including (at the option of the railroad) supervisory employees. Identify acceptable referral sources besides the affected covered service employee: Operation RedBlock, family, supervisors following a coaching session with the employee.
Confidentiality
The railroad treats the referral and subsequent handling, including counseling and treatment, as confidential. With respect to a certified locomotive engineer or a candidate for certification, the policy of confidentiality is waived (to the extent that the railroad shall receive from the EAP Counselor, official notice of the substance abuse disorder and shall suspend or revoke the certification, as appropriate) if the person at any time refuses to cooperate in a recommended course of counseling or treatment. Any drug and/or alcohol testing conducted pursuant to this railroad's voluntary referral policy is non-Federal testing because a violation of Federal regulations has not occurred.
Additionally, CSX's voluntary referral policy provides that the rule of confidentiality is waived if the employee at any time refuses to cooperate in a recommended course of counseling or treatment; and/or the employee is later determined, after investigation, to have been involved in an alcohol or drug-related disciplinary offense growing out of subsequent conduct.
Leave of Absence
The railroad will, to the extent necessary for treatment and rehabilitation, grant the employee a leave of absence from the railroad for the period necessary to complete primary treatment and establish control over the employee's alcohol or drug problem. The policy must allow a leave of absence of not less than 45 days, if necessary for the purpose of meeting initial treatment needs.
Return to Service
The employee will be returned to service on the recommendation of the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). Approval to return to service may not be unreasonably withheld.
Optional Provision
CSX requires successful completion of a return-to-service medical examination as a further condition on reinstatement in covered service.
Other Optional Provisions
The CSX policy provides that it does not apply to an employee who has previously been assisted by the railroad under a policy or program substantially consistent with 219.403 or who has previously elected to waive investigation under 219.405 co-worker report policy.
The policy provides that, in order to invoke its benefits, the employee must report to the contact designated by the railroad either during non-duty hours (i.e., at a time when the employee is off duty); or while unimpaired and otherwise in compliance with the railroad's alcohol and drug rules consistent with 219.403.
Co-Worker Report Policy
This railroad's program to comply with CFR 49, Part 219.405 is as follows:
Employment Relationship
A co-worker report policy must provide that a covered employee may maintain an employment relationship with the railroad following an alleged first offense under Part 219 or the railroad's alcohol and drug rules, subject to the conditions and procedures contained in 219.405.
General Conditions and Procedures
The alleged violation must come to the attention of the railroad as a result of a report by a co-worker that the employee was apparently unsafe to work with or was, or appeared to be, in violation of Part 219 or the railroad's alcohol and drug rules.
If the railroad representative determines that the employee is in violation, the railroad will immediately remove the employee from service in accordance with its existing policies and procedures.
The employee must elect to waive investigation on the rule charge and must contact the substance abuse professional within a reasonable period specified by the policy. Contact time: 5 days.
The SAP must schedule necessary interviews with the employee and complete an evaluation within 10 calendar days of the date on which the employee contacts the professional with a request for evaluation under the policy, unless it becomes necessary to refer the employee for further evaluation. In such case, all necessary evaluations must be completed within 20 days of the date on which the employee contacts the professional.
When Treatment is Required
If the SAP determines the employee is affected by psychological or chemical dependence on alcohol or a drug or by another identifiable disorder involving the abuse of alcohol or drugs as a primary manifestation, the following conditions and procedures apply:
- Leave of Absence. The railroad must, to the extent necessary for treatment and rehabilitation, grant the employee a leave of absence from the railroad for the period necessary to complete primary treatment and establish control over the employee's alcohol or drug problem. The policy must allow a leave of absence of not less than 45 days, if necessary for the purpose of meeting initial treatment needs.
- Agreement. The employee must agree to undertake and successfully complete a course of treatment deemed acceptable by the SAP.
- Return to Service. The railroad must promptly return the employee to service, on recommendation of the SAP, when the employee has established control over the substance abuse problem. Return to service may also be conditioned on successful completion of a return-to-service medical examination. Determination of whether or not an exam is required will be based on Company policy regarding absence from duty. Approval to return to service may not be unreasonably withheld.
- Follow-Up Treatment. Following return to service, the employee, as a further condition on withholding of discipline, may, as necessary, be required to participate in a reasonable program of follow-up treatment for a period not to exceed 60 months from the date the employee was originally withdrawn from service.
- Follow-Up Testing. If there has been a violation of Federal regulations (219.101 or 219.102), the railroad must conduct Federal return-to-service and follow-up tests (as described in 219.104) of an employee who waives investigation and is determined to be ready to return to service under 219.405.
When Treatment is Not Required
If the SAP determines that the employee is not affected by an identifiable and treatable mental or physical disorder,
- The railroad must return the employee to service within 5 days after completion of the minimum education requirements.
- During or following the out-of-service period, the railroad will require the employee to participate in a program of education and training concerning the effects of alcohol and drugs on occupational or transportation safety.
If there has been a violation of Federal regulations (219.101 or 219.102), the railroad must conduct Federal return-to-service and follow-up tests (as described in 219.104) of an employee who waives investigation and is determined to be ready to return to service under 219.405.
Visit the Employee Gateway for more information about the Employee Assistance Program.
