Lumberton Township, Dec. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lumberton Township, New Jersey –
Lumberton, New Jersey — A recovering addict is so grateful for the help he received from the team at Union First, he left a glowing five-star review on Google.
“Union First saved my life, real talk,” wrote Ron, who had struggled with dependence on the prescription painkiller Oxycodone. “I was heavily addicted to oxy and on the verge of losing my career. The Union First team secured my job and got me the help I badly needed. Thank you!”
Union First is an employee-assistance program for union members, public employees and their families. It helps members receive treatment they need for substance use and behavioral disorders without fear of reprisal from their employers. Its comprehensive services include placement in the most appropriate treatment program – alcohol or drug addiction treatment, mental health counseling or a combination of both. Its specialists can place members in programs offering the full range of treatment: medical detox, inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab and dual diagnosis treatment to heal the root causes of addiction.
A number of laws and regulations, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), exist to protect workers from losing their jobs if they seek help for themselves or need to leave work temporarily to care for a family member. FMLA gives employees 12 weeks of leave of absence for medical illness, the birth or adoption of a child or care of a sick family member. The ADA protects against discrimination, including being fired, against those with disabilities, which includes mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders.
When they return to work, they must be given their old job back or offered an equivalent one. Job-protection laws also cover work schedules, pay, benefits and other employment terms and conditions.
Employee-assistance programs like Union First help members navigate the often confusing maze of state and federal labor laws and advocate on workers’ behalf to make sure their employer fully obeys the law. But job protection is just the beginning; getting workers into the right treatment program is critical to overcoming addiction or behavioral disorders.
Union First’s specialists understand that each person experiences addiction in their own unique way, and treatment must also be personalized. For instance, inpatient treatment is often the most effective choice, but it’s not the right fit for everyone. Outpatient care is more appropriate for people who cannot leave their home or family for an extended period. Union First case managers thoroughly assess each member’s situation so they can recommend the right mental health or substance abuse recovery center.
The rise in substance abuse disorders and mental health disorders in the U.S. is staggering. Anyone can easily fall into alcohol and drug addiction, including prescription medications like Oxycodone, which are adding to the opioid epidemic. There is much stigma surrounding substance use disorders which cause feelings of shame and low self-esteem when dealing with these issues and getting help from a treatment center. Many workers are struggling with their mental health illness and/or substance abuse disorders alone due to the fact they are afraid of losing their job if they seek help, whether because of their employer finding out about their mental health or substance use disorder or taking time off to get proper alcohol and drug addiction help. Behavioral health treatment is very important for the millions of Americans struggling with alcohol and drug addiction, but there are not enough people getting access to addiction treatment they need.
Union members, public employees or family members who want help overcoming a substance abuse disorder without risking their employment can visit Union First or call 855-215-2023.
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For more information about Union First Addiction Placement , contact the company here:
Union First Addiction Placement
