Disaster takes a physical toll and it is important for an employer to make resources available to employees who need help. It’s important for an employer to make resources available anonymously to employees who need to reach out for help, and to make sure everyone knows where to find these resources and how to access them.

A company’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is often the best resource. Designed to help people cope with a variety of life situations, these programs offer disaster-related counseling from licensed professionals trained in psychological services. To find out more about what your EAP can do during a disaster, or for help in establishing one, consult this directory of service providers or contact the Employee Assistance Professionals Association.

Disasters not only have psychological effects, but can also present significant financial burdens for employees. Employers can offer a variety of services and information to their employees to help ease financial stresses. Helping Employees Affected by a Disaster offers human resource, financial assistance, tax and legal information on programs companies can consider putting in place in advance of a disaster.