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Recession Counselling for BT Staff

4th February 2010

CWU requests for 'recession counselling' to be added to the services offered by BT Group's employee assistance programme have been heeded by the company. Less than a year after delegates at last June's Telecom Industry Conference voted in favour of a proposition requesting the move, BT has added recession counselling to an enhanced employee assistance package.

Assistant secretary Colin O'Callaghan explains: "Delegates at last year's Conference took the view that because of the recession and the credit crunch people are getting into difficulties. It was therefore decided that we should approach BT to add counselling on recession issues to the range of services provided by the Group-wide employee assistance programme.

"I'm pleased to say that BT has accepted that position, and has put forward a recession counselling 'package', put together by the charity Relate, for employees and their families. Crucially that means the assistance available actually goes beyond individual employees."

The counselling being offered covers the full gamut of problems that recessionary times bring to families - ranging from actual job losses to debt and feelings of financial insecurity to depression - with emotional support being backed up with practical guidance.

"The scope of the counselling being offered is pretty wide as it looks at the impact of recession on families, so goes wider than just dealing with individual BT employees," said Colin.

"If a partner loses a job, people get into arrears with things like mortgages whether or not their own job is basically secure - and that can put pressure on entire families."

Basic counselling is being offered free of charge - with more detailed guidance and advice on individual cases available at the subsidised price of £15 (instead of the standard fee of £45).

In particular hardship cases the CWU may be able to provide help to members struggling to pay even that reduced fee through both branch and national hardship funds. Applications in the first instance should be made to the member's local branch.