Employee Assistance

The UNCSA Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Program provides support, resources and information, for personal and work-life issues – at no charge. This is university-sponsored, confidential, for faculty, staff and members of their households. The program is administered through a third-party provider, ComPsych.

A work-life specialist can do the research for you or a member of your household on any topic, at any time of the day or night. ComPsych provides customizes resources and prescreened referrals for issue that matter most to you. ComPsych can provide: confidential emotional support, work-life solutions, legal guidance and financial resources.

How to Access

You can access the EAP program online or via telephone:
Call: 888-311-4327 or TDD: 800-697-0353
Go online: guidanceresources.com
Your UNCSA Web ID: UNCSA

Downloadable information:

EAP Flyer (PDF)
Summary of Programs (PDF)
Introduction to 'GuidanceResources' Program (PPT)

New Mental Health App - 'Ginger'

What is Ginger?
Ginger offers on-demand, confidential mental healthcare through coaching via text-based chats, self-care activities, and video-based therapy and psychiatry—all from the privacy of your smartphone.

UNC and participating constituent institutions are providing a new mental healthcare benefit through this support program at no cost to employees. The program is delivered via an “app” which you download to your smartphone.

How does it work?
Employees download the Ginger Emotional Support app from the App Store or Google Play. The app works on both Apple and Android smartphone devices.

What credentials do I need to logon to the Ginger app?
After an employee downloads the app, they would select the “Organization” link in response to the question “To start, who sponsors your Ginger access?” The next step requires the employee to enter some information (first name, last name, date of birth, zip code and campus email address). Once an employee installs the Ginger mobile app and enters their personal information, the member is sent a one-time use link (magic link) to their university email inbox to activate their account. The employee must click on the link in their university email account to complete the activation.

Once the user installs the app and has verified their identity using their university email account, the member may elect to change their email contact information to their personal email address. Using a personal email provides additional confidentiality protection such that usage of Ginger App, email notifications, and appointment reminders are no longer sent to their university email account.

When is it effective?
The program is effective effective October 1, 2022. Employees will begin to get email announcements directly from Ginger beginning October 4 through October 6.

Who is eligible for this program?
Full-time Benefit Eligible Employees (.75FTE or greater) and their dependents, who are age 18 and older, are eligible for Ginger, unless your constituent institution expanded the eligibility to other groups of employees.

How is Ginger different than the Employee Assistance Program provided by Compysch?
Ginger doesn’t replace the EAP offered through ComPsych. Both Ginger and the EAP provide benefits that are designed to help employees deal with life’s challenges but the one an employee will use depends on the type of issue and level of support they need. The EAP continues to be a great resource for an employee struggling with personal and work-related problems, as it offers confidential counseling, online resources, and referrals for things like child/elder care and home repair.

Ginger provides enhanced services for those who need more emotional and mental health support. With Ginger, you can connect with a behavioral health coach anytime, 24/7/365. Your coach will work with you to address the sources of your stress and how to create healthier behaviors. If you need more support than a behavioral health coach can provide, a licensed therapist or psychiatrist can be added to your care team. And like the EAP, Ginger is 100% confidential—no one at UNC or any participating constituent institution will know if you use Ginger and any health and personal information an employee shares with Ginger’s care team will be kept private.

Need Additional Information?
Ginger - Brochure
Ginger - Train the Trainer
Ginger - FAQ

Faculty-Staff Loan Fund

Any permanent full-time employee may apply for an Emergency Loan with the
expectation of repayment to be within one year. Emergency Loans are not to exceed $2,000. Examples of use of this fund are unexpected death in the family, sudden accident or illness, unusual personal financial emergencies, etc. The Loan Fund is administered under the UNCSA Foundation Board of Directors.

This information also is located under the Employee Relations section of the Human Resources website.