As used in this article, the term ‘‘employee assistance program’’ or ‘‘program’’ means a service established to assist state employees in coping with and overcoming persistent problems that jeopardize the employee’s effective job performance. (Code 1981, § 45-20-70, enacted by Ga. L. 1987, p. 990, § 1; Ga. L. 1988, p. 13, § 45; Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 1-1/HB 642.)