To expand—if you have a mental illness, can you ask for a mental health day without fear at work—the fear of losing your job?
A word of caution—before you ask, make sure you are aware of your company's Paid Time Off (PTO) policy (sick leave, vacation, personal days, etc.). Most employers must comply with federal labor laws and rights. Smaller companies with 15 or less employees may be exempt from some of the labor laws due to hardship. It is critical that you know the policy and are aware of your rights under law.
If you have depression or anxiety issues or any behavioral health or emotional condition, and are trying to manage them (recommended), you should be aware of your needs and have a crisis plan to follow should your condition get out of control. The plan may include asking for a mental health day (or more) at work.
About managing, many do not seek treatment for a mental condition because of the stigma and the fear of being ostracized by others. Individuals having these conditions are often looked at in the workplace as dangerous and volatile.
The ideal situation in the workplace as far as mental health goes is that it would be something you could be comfortable talking about with your employer and coworkers.
Both research and anecdotal evidence suggest that people who have a mental illness want to work and do. They are capable of holding good jobs in the skilled trades or professional fields and are often creative and talented. Working is vital to their recovery.
This is not to point the finger at employers but to bring about awareness.
Evidence shows that hiring practices for people with mental illness need to be improved. The rate of unemployment is higher for people with mental illness than those who do not have a mental health condition (6.4% as compared to 5.1%).
Some mental illnesses may need more accommodations than others in the workplace, especially those that hamper productivity when symptoms flare up, as they often do. Employers also have to consider the impact of those accommodations on others who do not have mental illness.
People who have mental illness have a responsibility to take care of themselves, understand their illness and know its triggers. Shifts in attitudes from both sides is imperative to improve the stigma that surrounds mental illness. Perhaps, only then there will be no fear in asking for a needed mental health day.
Submitted by
Dodie Melvin, Executive Director
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Knox Licking Counties Ohio
740-397-3088
namiklcohio@embarqmail.com
