The challenges that employees who abuse substances experience when returning to work after completion of employee assistance programme (EAP).

Background: Employee assistance programs (EAPs) are responsible for helping employees cope with problems such as: mental distress, alcoholism and other drug dependencies, marital and financial difficulties--in short, the whole host of personal and family troubles endemic to the human condition.

Objective: The study explored the challenges that employees who abuse substances experience when returning to work after the completion of an employee assistance program.

Methods: The study used a qualitative exploratory descriptive research design.