What do you do if you see an employee going through financial hardship and getting calls from debt collectors?

The employer has no legal obligation or right to intervene in this matter. However, you can advise your employee that he should seek legal representation as that will at least prevent the creditors from direct contact again, either at work or at home. An attorney should be able to work out a payment plan for his client, usually one with much better terms than if the client tried to do it alone. Good luck. 

Be completely honest and above board. Ask for a deal. Negotiate for a payment structure that makes sense. Do not engage in a fist fight as you are not holding the cards. Be professional and direct. It will pay big dividends in the long run. If you hit a brick wall, call us. We will take over the file and re negotiate. Sometimes a fresh face and a different approach from a third party makes all the difference in the world when two parties are at lager-heads with each other. An experienced negotiator might be just the advantage in finding a way that makes sense. We are here to help if you are stuck.

All the best

I would ask my employee to let the creditors know that this is a business/job line that they are not allowed to receive personal calls on.  

The lawyers below have the legal advice... but, if it were my employee, I would let them know that I couldn't help but overhear/see.. and give them a list of places they could call for help.  I might say something like, "Look, I couldn't help but overhear some of your calls.  I am not tied to any of these companies, but someone gave me this list of places to call, in case you need help."  

That's a tough one.  

Offer assistance to reduce anxieties, inquire to precise details of indebtedness and prospective financial ability to deal with this and other financial responsibilities
Contact collector as intermediary or legal counsel and attempt to negotiate reduction

In many cases the part has NO present or prospective ability to pay and may be anappropriate candidate for bankruptcy filing. Suggest he contact Stuart Price in LA 

Advise him/her to engage an attorney.  The attorney can send a Letter of Representation so that the debt collector can no longer contact the employee or risk a violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

I agree with Mr. Lockhart's comments.  I would add that an employee can tell the collection callers that he cannot receive personal calls at word.  The collection callers are then legally prohibited from calling him at work.

This is not legal advice.  This does NOT create an attorney-relationship between you and me or anyone else and me.  A person needing legal advice should seek a consultation with an experienced attorney.

I could refer them to you.

The telephone calls to the debtor may violate federal and state consumer law statutes.

First ask if they want advice.  If they do, give them the advice to seek legal counsel...

those harassing phone calls can be made to stop, and if they don't stop, stiff legal 

consequences can result to the person making those calls.

An employer doesn't have a legal obligation here.  If you want to assist the employee, you can increase their wages.  Otherwise, all you can do is ban calls from debt collectors.