Empire Life and Aspiria Announce a New Employee Assistance Program

KINGSTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Jan. 26, 2011) - The Empire Life Insurance Company (Empire Life) and Aspiria Corp. (Aspiria) are pleased to announce the creation of a new Employee Assistance Program (EAP), AssistNow™, designed specifically for Empire Life Group Benefits customers.

AssistNow offers expert assistance to employees and their families, as well as to managers and company leaders. It includes confidential counselling, life coaching, health information, self-assessments, interactive training modules, management consultation, and a crisis management service.

"We are very pleased to offer our customers AssistNow. An EAP is the ideal complement to an employee benefits plan. It helps employees and their families navigate life's challenges and complex choices, and it provides expertise, coaching and crisis management to company leaders," says Janet Jackson, Vice-President, Group Marketing. "We know that people are stressed by the demands of today's fast-paced world, and that mental health issues are one of the top causes of productivity loss in the workplace. AssistNow offers affordable, reliable help in challenging times."

"We are thrilled to be collaborating with Empire Life to offer their customers a fresh EAP. Empire Life and Aspiria share a focus on understanding the needs of small business and a commitment to quality, integrity and being easy to do business with. Working together, we can make the most of each other's strengths and provide a high quality benefit to this underserviced market," says Charles Benayon, Founder & CEO, Aspiria Corp.

About Empire Life

A subsidiary of E-L Financial Corporation Limited and in business since 1923, Empire Life helps Canadians build wealth and protect their financial security with competitive individual and group life and health insurance, investment and retirement products. The company's vision is to be the leading, independently-owned, Canadian financial services company committed to simplicity, being easy to do business with and having a personal touch.

About Aspiria Corp.

Founded in 2003, Aspiria has taken over 30 years of industry best practices and created a complete continuum of care with Employee Assistance and Wellness Programs (EAP) dedicated to helping Canadian businesses excel through the power of their people. Aspiria is the newest EAP company in the industry, a boutique EAP provider with a national reach, that makes a difference in people's lives when it matters most.