Most employees are convinced they can't afford an attorney and often try to unsuccessfully handle complex problems on their own. Others are intimidated by the law or are simply unsure of how to find a qualified attorney.

Whatever the reason, foregoing legal help leads to damages far beyond the scope of the original problem. The employees suffer anxiety, frustration, and financial loss. At work, this often leads to distractions, loss of productivity and reduced attendance, which has a direct impact on your bottom line.

Seldom do employees go ask for a legal benefit. But when you ask if employees have specific common problems or needs that require legal advice to resolve, the answer is "Yes, I have that kind of problem." They do not realize that a legal benefit provides the service they need to address these problems.

Consider the following:

• Will any of your employees buy or sell a house this year?
• Do any of your employees rent?
• Will simmering domestic disputes result in a need for legal counseling, and perhaps
• divorce?
• Do some of your employees have seniors in their family?
• Will questions about long term care and nursing home options arise?
• Will employees seek to lease or buy a car?

These are common problems; your employees do have them. The problem often is that they do not know where to find an attorney--except to take a stab in the yellow pages, or the alphabetical listing at the local referral service. A legal plan solves these problems.

We give the employee fast and easy access to advice from an attorney who will respond to their call at no charge to the employee.

There was a study commissioned in 1985 by the McKesson Company to quantify the cost to employers of employee's legal problems in relation to other categories of lost work time. The study found that 48% of the nearly 1,300 survey respondents had taken time off from work in the previous year for a law-related problem.

The survey respondents represent blue-collar employees, management, professional, sales and clerical employees.

Respondents indicated having the following legal problems in the last year. The number of employees who had a problem or question was surprisingly high.

Consumer
Death in the Family
Domestic (Family) issues
Financial problems

The study points out that analysis of Lost Work Time provides only a preliminary level of cost estimates. "Impairment of productivity and team relationships, higher compensation and insurance costs, damage and accidents, must all be considered for a total cost. An employee making $8.00 an hour, worrying 15 minutes a day at work about any of these problem categories can cost an employer another $480 a year."