Published by Your Counselling Employee Support Solutions | Calgary, Alberta
What employers can and cannot see
In a well-structured EFAP or ESS program, employers receive aggregate utilization data only. Individual employee information, session content, therapist notes, and whether a specific person accessed care are not disclosed to the employer.
The legal exceptions
Therapists have narrow legal and ethical duties related to imminent risk of harm, abuse of a child or vulnerable adult, or court order. These exceptions apply to all therapy relationships, not only workplace programs.
Talking about work problems
Employees can discuss workplace conflict, workload, grief, anxiety, stress, relationship concerns, or substance use without that information being reported back to HR or management.
How ESS protects privacy
At Your Counselling ESS, confidentiality is built into the architecture of the program. Employer reporting is aggregate, clinicians are regulated professionals, and employee-facing communication explains privacy before someone needs support.
References
- Sharar, D. A., & Lennox, R. D. (2021). Low EAP utilization.
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. (2024). PIPEDA in brief.