Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service "Receive Free Counseling for COVID Blue, Including Depression and Anxiety"

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[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bo-kyung] The Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service will launch the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) service from the 20th to heal the minds of workers exhausted by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) supports workers in resolving various concerns they experience through counseling, coaching, and other techniques.

Since 2009, the Service has been providing free EAP counseling services in 15 areas to workplaces with fewer than 300 employees. This year, a separate counseling section has been established to address issues such as depression, anxiety, and other COVID blues, family conflicts, loneliness, isolation, and employment instability caused by COVID-19.

Under the theme "Goodbye COVID, Hello My Mind!", this program allows workers to self-assess their mental state caused by COVID-19 through a survey designed by experts and receive psychological counseling support up to seven times.

The self-assessment is available to anyone on the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service website (www.workdream.net) without a separate membership registration process; however, counseling support is available only to workers belonging to workplaces with fewer than 300 employees after membership registration.

Counseling methods focus on online support such as bulletin boards, short messages, and phone (video) calls. If necessary, offline counseling can be conducted by visiting the center or having a counselor visit after applying online and consulting with the counselor. Counseling is provided by professional counselors from commissioned specialized institutions, and the content of counseling is kept confidential.

Kang Soon-hee, Director of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service, stated, "Going forward, the Service will actively discover demand-driven customized services and strive to expand support for vulnerable groups such as self-employed workers and workers in special employment types."

For more details about EAP counseling, visit the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service website or contact the commissioned institution, Easy Wellness (070-4173-3883).