Resources To Help Relieve Employee Stress (NAPSA)—According to the American Psychological Association, 73 percent of Americanscited monetary issues as the No. 1 factor increasing their stress level. An estimated onein four working Lm Americans—more than 35 million people—are in enough financial stress that it affects their work. Coupled with the existing stress of family matters and planning for the future, these strains can have a variety of negative effects on employees and employers, including loss of productivity andpoor health. Fortunately, some companies offer services to help their employees get expert counseling—both in financial and family matters— helping put their minds at ease while working through difficult situations. For example, with the purchase of new group-term life and longterm disability insurance from Assurant Employee Benefits, employees have access to Assurant Answers”, a collection of resources offering value-added assistance to employees in need. Services available to employees through thirdparty vendors may include: e Financial Counseling Services—Qualified financial counselors provide assistance with questions or concerns about a variety of financial issues. e Elder Care and Disability Resources—Designed to help employees cope with family responsibilities more easily, this online resource helps caregivers locate everything from community A collection of online financial and family resources can help reduce employees’ stress levels. programs and services to physicians and medical equipment. e Will Preparation Services— While manypeople are intimi- dated by the prospect of putting together a will (or finding an attorney to help do so), online resources explain the process in a simple, easy-to-understand way designed to lower anxiety about will preparation. Some of the resources are offered through a national network of accredited vendors whose counselors have helped tens of thousands of people sort through a wide variety of financial concerns and questions, including budgeting and cash flow, problems with creditors, savings, debt consolidation and college funding. To learn more about whether Assurant Answersis available in your state, visit www.assurant employeebenefits.com and click on “Products and Services.”
