Employee Assistance Office

Timely Assistance with Life’s Challenges

When personal or work-related concerns become difficult to manage, UW–Madison’s Employee Assistance Office (EAO) can provide timely solutions for life transitions, physical or emotional health issues, and relationship challenges.

The EAO offers counseling and consultation at no cost to UW–Madison faculty, staff, graduate student employees, significant others, and family members.

With the help of the Employee Assistance Office, employees and leaders develop the skills they need to understand and cope with challenging issues before they develop into more serious concerns.

There are many ways to connect with an EAO counselor:

Remote video chat (Teams, Webex, or Zoom)
Remote phone call
In-person appointment with a counselor at our confidential office space
Video phone call at our confidential office space at the WARF building The onsite video phone allows you to meet with a counselor in a comfortable and confidential space. This option is ideal for those who are concerned about confidentiality if they were to meet virtually or by phone in their work space or their home.

Confidentiality

The services of the Employee Assistance Office are confidential. If you meet with the EAO, your meeting and anything you discuss with our team is private, “off-the-record” information. See the Confidentiality Policy for more details.

In Immediate Crisis?

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call or Text 988

Ayuda en español:
Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio
1-888-628-9454

Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals:
TTY users can use their preferred relay service OR dial 711, then dial 1-800-273-8255 to connect.

Crisis Text Line:
Text 741741

Life-threatening emergencies:
Call 911

Schedule a Confidential Appointment

To schedule an appointment with the Employee Assistance Office, please contact us by phone or email. Appointments are available remotely or in-person. All appointments are private and confidential.

Phone: (608) 263-2987
Email: eao@mailplus.wisc.edu
Hours: 8:00 AM–4:30 PM (Monday–Friday)

Access to professional counselors is available to employees 24/7 from LifeMatters

Services

Personal Counseling

Consider reaching out to the Employee Assistance Office when you need help with personal or work-related challenges.

LifeMatters Logo

LifeMatters

The EAO provides employees with free and confidential telephone access to professional counselors in support of personal and work-related concerns 24/7.

Grief and Critical Incident Response

When employees experience traumatic workplace events, including death and loss, the EAO provides timely grief and critical incident response services.

Training and Presentations

Reach out to discuss with the Employee Assistance Office the ways in which your group could benefit from a training to address wellness, workplace communication, or other shared issues.

Management Consultation

Managers, supervisors, deans, and department chairs work with the Employee Assistance Office to define and address workplace issues.

Upcoming Webinars

Virtual webinars are offered by LifeMatters and the Employee Assistance Office to all UW–Madison employees at no cost.

Effective Family Communication

Tuesday, November 19, noon-1 p.m. via Zoom

When people complain of a lack of communication, they are usually complaining about unclear expectations. In most cases, people don’t need to communicate more; rather, they need to express themselves more effectively.

This webinar will teach participants about:

Nonverbal communication and listening
Talking to kids as they grow
Talking about tough subjects
Creating family talk time and guidelines

This webinar is offered at no cost to all UW-Madison employees. Register online to receive the Zoom link.

Questions?

Below are answers to some of the most common questions we receive at the EAO, as well as resources for managers, and information about our confidentiality policy. If your question isn’t answered, or you have additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us directly by phone at (608) 263-2987 or by e-mail at eao@mailplus.wisc.edu.

Visit the FAQ