Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The City of Seattle Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides confidential, professional counseling and mental health support for issues such as stress, family relationship concerns, work-related problems, financial issues, eating disorders, and alcohol and drug problems.

Confidential, professional help is available through ComPsych 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It’s free for employees and their household members, with up to eight in-person counseling visits per issue and per year. After the initial eight in-person or video visits, if ongoing counseling is advisable and deemed “medically necessary” under the medical plan, the employee will be referred for additional support through their medical coverage.

The city provides employees with up to six hours of paid time off per calendar year to attend EAP counseling sessions (not charged to sick leave or vacation). Employees must obtain advance approval from their supervisor and may use a maximum of two hours at a time. Employees do not need to disclose their reason for using EAP services, but they may need to request an appointment verification from their counselor if the supervisor requests it. Employees may also schedule appointments outside work hours.

Complete confidentiality

Employee confidentiality is protected under public law. ComPsych EAP will not provide supervisors or any other city employee with any individual’s EAP information. 

Get Started

Employees and their household members can get started with counseling and browse ComPsych’s library of financial, legal, and work/life resources at the ComPsych website (www.guidanceresources.com). You will need to register and provide the following web ID: SeattleEAP.

You can also reach ComPsych by phone at 800-858-6715; TRS: Dial 711.

For more information on the Employee Assistance Program, visit the program summary page on the City’s Human Resources website.

Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D)

Employees may purchase Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance within 30 days of their hire date, on the date they become eligible, or during any open enrollment period. The City offers AD&D policies through Securian Financial at competitive group rates, with coverage increments of $25,000. Employees pay 100% of the monthly premium through payroll deduction.

Employees may choose to cover themselves or themselves and their dependents. The amount of benefits for dependents will be a percentage of the employee’s benefit amount.

Benefits will be paid in the event of accidental death, subject to exclusions such as suicide, military service, and war.

For more information, including premium details, see the Accidental Death and Dismemberment program summary on the City’s Human Resources website.

Sick Leave Transfer

The City has a sick leave transfer program. You may request up to 560 hours of donated sick leave from other employees for any single qualifying incident if you meet all the following conditions:

• You have exhausted, or will exhaust in the current pay period, your paid leave balances due to a personal illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that is likely to cause you to go on unpaid leave or to leave City employment.
• You provide a medical certification from your health care provider verifying the nature and expected duration of your condition and the need to be off work.
• You have used your sick leave balance judiciously.
• You are not eligible for benefits under SMC Chapter 4.44 or the State Industrial Insurance and Medical Aid Acts.

You may also donate eight or more sick leave hours to an approved recipient employee, provided the donation will not cause your sick leave balance to fall below 240 hours.

For more information, see Personnel Rule 7.7: Sick Leave and Sick Leave Transfer or contact the Department’s City of Seattle Human Resources representative.