This year’s subprime upheaval has sent a shock through the nation’s lending system, creating a surge in the number of workers seeking advice and services from their employer-sponsored legal services.

Adam Gotskind, director of legal services with ComPsych, says there has been an increase in calls from people needing legal advice on risky loans they’ve taken on. “They’re saying they can’t pay their bills; that’s where it starts,” Gotskind remarks. “They can’t afford to pay their mortgage, and they simply don’t know where to begin.”

Employers are beginning to promote legal services at an increased clip in an attempt to quell employees’ concerns over housing issues. ComPsych estimates the number of mortgage-related calls they’ve received has nearly doubled in a year, from 9 percent in the first nine months of 2006 to 17 percent in the same period in 2007.

According to a Government Accountability Office report, approximately 1.1 million foreclosures are expected in the next six to seven years due to aggressive lending practices and fluctuating home prices. Says Gotskind: “These mortgage rates are not necessarily going to go down; they could continue to go up, so the problem could get worse. Our view is that it’s not going to get better anytime soon.”