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ultramar · May 15, 2013, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ryc0v

Ugh. So, I'm one of the lucky few of us that manages to hold down a job... mostly... while taking medication, still experiencing limited episodes, etc.

Recently, I was asked by my supervisor to start logging my visits to state healthcare (once monthly, for checkup and free medication collection) as sick leave. These visits take a maximum of two hours.

South African labour law specifies 'reasonable allowances' must be made for staff with mental illness - do you think I'd be justified in taking this up the chain and refusing? As 2 hours a month is hardly jetting off to Rio on a drug binge.

Secondly, and kind of unrelatedly, how do you let your co-workers/supervisors know when you feel terrible (because of BPd) and won't be in to work?

I find honestly makes me feel like a bit of a cretin.

Here in the US, reasonable allowances must be made under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), though if your employer can prove that it causes too much 'hardship' (for the company, etc.) they can potentially get out of it.

I have regular visits to my therapist and psychiatrist plus monthly visits to my pain doctor. I am lucky that I work at the same hospital where I see my doctors, so I can usually go during lunch, but if I go over lunch (or if it's outside of that time), it's taken out of my Earned Time (vacation time).

Frankly, I think this is fair. The only concern I would have is if my boss refused to let me go to the appointments. At the end of the day, mental illness is only one type of illness -I'm sure I have co-workers with all kinds of illnesses -big and small- and they all have to get earned time taken out for appointments -why should it be any different for mental illness? Likewise, if I take a day off (or more) due to mental illness, then earned/sick time I think should be taken out just like when my co-worker with a different illness takes time off and gets earned time taken out for it.

My take is that as long as the employer is allowing the days off and the doctor's visits, then they have a right to take time out for them.

I have not told employers or co-workers the reasons for my doctor appointments (actually only for the physical illness one) and don't plan to unless I really have to. Way too much stigma, and by law (here in the US) they're actually not allowed to ask. I don't see any reason to tell my boss or co-workers why I've taken time off from work.

I am actually looking into officially filing my illnesses with our Occupational Health Service, with doctor's notes, in case I should need future allowances. My concern is if I should need to reduce my hours at some point. I asked for reduced hours once for my pain condition and it was denied. I am afraid to be in a position at some point where I lose my job because reduced hours are denied.

In sum, I don't believe that mental illness should garner any more allowances than other illnesses. Someone from a different department who I know is currently undergoing cancer treatment while continuing to work. I don't know if she has received some allowances, but I suspect they do deduct earned/vacation time for any treatments or appointments she has during working hours. Again, the danger becomes, I think, if an employer says you may not receive treatment or go to appointments during working hours or denies time off, even unpaid time, due to whatever illness -I think that's where you need to protect yourself. Though I am not familiar with the laws in South Africa.

Why do you feel the need to tell your boss/co-workers about your mental illness?