How to take time off work for your mental health ❤️‍🩹 #mentalhealth #career #work #fmla

[AdviceWithErin]

✨ Sure, work is work! A job isn’t supposed to be fun and easy all the time.

🔹 However, there is a difference between a job being difficult and a job being damaging.

🔹 There is a difference between your boss giving you a tough assignment and your boss being cruel.

🔹 There is a different between feeling a little stressed and feeling anxiety every single morning when you wake up.

🔹There is a difference between feeling tired and feeling burnt out.

FMLA is a FEDERAL act (meaning every state must follow) that allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave while keeping job security and healthcare benefits.

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Here are the details straight from DOL.gov 👇

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides certain employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year. It also requires that their group health benefits be maintained during the leave.

Employees are eligible for leave if they have worked for their employer at least 12 months, at least 1, 250 hours over the past 12 months, and work at a location where the company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles.
—

While you have to be eligible for FMLA, companies & HR teams can actually do whatever they want. 🤷🏼‍♀️ FMLA is just your basic right. But companies can give you time off, even if you aren’t technically eligible.

So talk to them. Document everything! Keep it vague. And know your rights 🇺🇸

You got this! 👏🏼 #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #burnout #work #careeradvice #fmla

PS — I have a GREAT episode about burnout on @nooneknows.show with @drjudithjoseph — the full ep is on my channel! ❤

[cierragill]

Applied for FMLA, got approved, and immediately afterwards got targeted by management who made my life a living hell until I quit. Luckily I explained the situation to the state and still got unemployment benefits. Just be careful and document everything!

[akpopfamily]

I wish my job had told me about this when my daughter died. They tried to offer me space to do my job and offered solutions to take what they thought I should give up, but not this. I told them I couldn't handle anything right now and though they begged me not to leave, they never told me I could have taken time off to grieve and come back and not be jobless on top of the death of my child. The extreme shame is I worked for Health and Social Services at the time.

[jocelynscott]

I needed to hear this. I am so incredibly burnt out and never know what’s the right thing to do. I worked through high school, college, and the pandemic. It’s incredibly draining and to not know if taking time for my mental health is even an option is more stress. I am definitely looking into this. Thank you seriously

[StarKiller]

No job is worth your mental health but don't ignore the impacts on your mental health by leaving and having no money or backups. 👍

[flyingnow]

Don't forget about EAP = Employee Assistance Programs. Free to employees, confidential, and gets you the help you need. Also, for most FMLAs you need to employed for at least a year full time.

[cheesetoasty]

I quit my anxiety provoking overly stressful job and it was the best decision I've ever made.

[bcgrote]

Soooo many people don't use FMLA! "My kid is sick, my wife had surgery, but I have to work" I think the biggest problem is the unpaid part...

[blackbeltjones]

While this is a law, and must be honored by the employer, don’t be surprised if taking FMLA does adversely impact your position with that employer. There are creative ways to get around the protections, and if layoffs are expected, people that took FMLA should expect to be first on that list.

[gypsybelle]

Perfect info for Mental Health Month. Thank you!❤

[Isabelsbookshelf]

FMLA has been a lifesaver for my mom and dad ever since I became disabled. I’m so glad my first neurologist told us about it!

[Beccadette]

You go girl. Erin, I wish you were around when I had these issues. Thank you for giving people! 💜

[SusieB-]

And I believe the minute you mention your intention to put in for FMLA, your job is protected. You can't be disciplined for anything related to it, or fired.

[gogojilea]

I wish I watched this before I quit over mental health reason. My job was so stressful. I couldn’t imagine going back though.

[shivaunm]

I watch ur videos all the time and can I just say today I had this same thought because I feel like I am losing my mind and I don't want to burden my family, don't want to abandon my colleagues but the overwhelming feeling can be a bit much. Thanks for sharing this.

[verobarrionuevo]

I'm a teacher from Argentina. I had a coworker who was struggling because of a divorce and she asked for this with a note of a psicologist. When she returned to work she didn't last more than a month because the administrators fired her... They never lose, so be careful.

[KrayzieAries]

Between me having rheumatoid arthritis since i was 2 & other health issues & my mom bein bipolar fmla saved my dads job

[nicbow]

You can take FMLA but don't be shocked when you're targeted when you return. As a manager I remember my boss making me write up employees for " performace" and most of them had FMLA. This was not unique to that job. Also, depending on the state your can't be absent for 30 days upon returning and must exhaust 50% of your personal time off. If you have not PTO, they deduct it from the next year's balance.

Additionally, after giving birth, I took FMLA and upon returning I was very quickly put on a performance improvement plan. I had my boss and HR micromanage me to the point of sitting next to me daily. It put me under very high stress levels. I survived it but had a lot of animosity for it.

[BrieannaDavisPhotography]

I needed to hear this too. The burn out is real

[alisoncashner]

I’m extremely burnt out. I wake up with really bad anxiety which is causing a lot of physical health issues now. But I can’t do FMLA because I still need to pay rent, and I can’t get a new job because I’m getting surgery in 2 months. What do I do?