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January Currents Issue, 2005
Social Work and Member Assistance Programs
Balancing Perspectives of Labor
and Management
Lynne Burmeister, LCSW, Assistant Director, 1199 National Benefit Fund, Membership Assistance Program
Post-election, midway through the first decade of the second millennium, one of the main concerns is work. Will there be jobs? What will they be? Where will they be? All facets of society, including the social work community, are asking these questions. Occupational/Industrial social work has a strong vested interest in the future of work. Job skills, work environments, wages and benefits impact greatly on the work/life balance. Social workers who choose careers in the “world of work” do so because this is the closest they can come to helping clients in a holistic way.
“Work Is the Crossroads of Life”
As so astutely noted by the first practitioner of social work in labor
settings, Bertha C. Reynolds, “work is the crossroads of life.”
No other area of activity anchors individuals in so many ways. Work provides
income, a social network, identity and security for the future. Thus,
the importance of work and how central it is to life can never be disputed.
Once I became aware of how facets of peoples’ lives could be made
whole through one area of practice, I was a convert. Following in the
footsteps of Bertha Reynolds has enhanced the joy and enthusiasm for this
area of work. She laid the groundwork for the development of Member Assistance
Programs (MAPS).
Neutrality Is Crucial
In-house MAPS are generally located within organizations’ benefit
funds. The rationale for this placement is to allow the MAP to maintain
a neutral stance. Neutrality is crucial, as most labor–based funds
are “Taft-Hartley” funds (referring to federal law requiring
joint oversight by labor and management trustees). For social workers,
in this area of work, balancing the perspective of both labor and management
is a critical practice skill.
Both labor and social work exist to improve the quality of life for individuals
and their families. Social workers understand that an array of psychosocial
issues impinge on the individual - from family-based problems to work-based
problems. Labor-based programs complement social work practice. While
delegates, shop stewards, union organizers may be the natural helpers
to working people, the supervisors, human resource and medical departments,
also, are vested in workers functioning well.
MAPS
Provide Seamless Care
Once a referral is made, the professional staff of the MAP utilizes their
clinical and organizational skills to assess the underlying problem. MAPS,
which manage the behavioral health care benefits in self-insured funds,
are able to set up seamless care. All facets of a case can be managed
with this structure. Eligibility verification can lead to the arrangement
of care. Concurrently, any worksite jeopardy issues can be addressed with
the union organizational staff. Throughout all these steps, cases can
be monitored for treatment compliance and improved work and family life.
Beyond One-to-One Work
Individual work is by no means the only venue offered in the “workplace”.
Organizations benefit from trainings on cultural diversity, domestic or
workplace violence, sexual harassment, achieving optimal health and the
like. Through venues such as health fairs, educational seminars and written
material, social workers can work in tandem with nurses, physicians and
other health professionals to improve the quality of life for the workers
they serve.
Off-site Workers Have Needs Too
On-site workers benefit from the proximity of their work-site programs,
an advantage which individuals who work independently, such as home attendants
or home health aides, don’t have. Recognition of their problems
may take longer. One in ten workers experience a personal medical problem
that affects their work performance. The areas most affected are productivity,
attendance and behavior. Concrete indicators of existing problems are
often evident in time sheets and reduction of claims.
Addressing the Loss of Income
Having to leave work, temporarily or permanently, due to a disabling medical
condition is a fear that all too often becomes a reality. Most benefits
programs restore only a portion of the worker’s income, i.e., disability
payments through the union, state disability funds, and workers’
compensation payments. Disputed cases may result in delays in compensation
and medical care. When short-term disability expires or a work-related
injury is chronic, workers may need to apply for Social Security Disability
benefits. Knowledge of the eligibility and filing requirements of all
these programs is crucial for social workers working with union members.
The Transition from Work to Retirement
As our population ages, the retired member’s division of many unions
has, and will, continue to grow. The psychological adjustment to retirement
offers another arena for social work intervention. Social workers are
keenly aware of the crises and opportunities that arise during each life
period. Thus, they are able to help retirees develop the new skills needed
for this phase of life. Through preparatory seminars, on a variety of
subjects, such as, new outlets for socialization, financial opportunities
and/or locating community resources, retirees are better prepared to embrace
their retirement.
The Regularity of Crises
Environmental, community and personal crises occur on a regular basis.
From the vast crisis of September 11, 2001 to more normal work group losses,
such as the loss of a co-worker or the victim of a crime, workers benefit
from professional intervention. These areas represent the broader focus,
which social workers in the world of work must take to survive.
For Occupational/ Industrial Social Work to thrive in the coming decade
programs will need to be flexible. Partnering with organizational programs
that meet workers’ different needs and the cross sharing of resources
is key. Equal recognition by labor and management that social workers
provide invaluable services is essential.
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