US Labor Department Ending Mental Health, Child Care Benefits for Own Staff

The US Department of Labor has told staff it is terminating benefit programs supporting mental health and dependent care, with most of the cuts scheduled to take effect this week.

DOL’s Worklife4You program, which offers prenatal kits for expecting parents, nurse visits to help with eldercare, and personal finance and wellness advice, is being discontinued effective May 9, a DOL labor relations specialist informed union officials in a March message viewed by Bloomberg News. An employee assistance program, which offers counseling sessions for addressing issues including anxiety and substance misuse, will end the same day, other than a “limited number” of remaining sessions for staff who were in “drug testing designated positions” or had been “recommended for counseling as part of an employee relations matter,” the message stated.