Employment Retention Service

Is mental health illness causing you or someone you know to be absent from / or to be struggling at work?

By making a referral to the Employment Retention Service, we can provide support to overcome this. We can offer support appointments either, face to face, virtually or by telephone. EPUT directly provide the service in north east and mid Essex. We work in partnership with the charity Employ-Ability who provide the service in west and south east, south Essex on our behalf.

How we can help.

• discuss the triggers at work or elsewhere that affect your mental health and how this impacts on your work
• help you decide how, when, if and what to disclose to your employer about your mental health
• support you with putting together a plan to help you return to or stay in work
• discuss phased returns that will help you with a transition back to the workplace following a period of sickness
• offer guidance to you when considering appropriate reasonable adjustments that would support you to return and remain in work
• with consent/authorisation, provide support at formal meetings with employers, occupational health services
• support for you and your employer with signposting and advice on additional services that could support you
• help with putting together a Wellness Action Plan, which will provide a plan for you and your employer to help you stay well at work

If you consider that due to your illness, you need to leave your current role we will support you with planning an exit in a safe manner and wherever possible or appropriate signpost you or refer you services that can help find alternative employment.

Employers

With mental health illness being one of the major reasons for staff absence, we can provide additional support for you and your staff. Our service is provided free of charge being commissioned by Essex County Council.  If you would like to discuss this, please contact us we would be happy to arrange a meeting. We aim to support people with a safe and sustainable route back to work; an early referral to our service could assist in an earlier return to work.

Should you require workplace mental health training, staff welfare advice and other support Working Well Essex would be able to assist you a link is included on this page.