[anon61514]

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.

[catsrhelm]

I think you should not refuse, but also take it up the chain too.
As for feeling lousy due to BPD, lie. Bi-polar still has a stigma attached to it.

Bi-polar 2. Abilify 20 mgs. Carbamazepine 600 mgs a day.

[anon61514]

They all know of my diagnosis, it's not the stigma that worries me. It's more of an issue from my side.

How many times can I claim stomach ache, while insinuating they shouldn't ask questions, before it starts seeming like I'm dodging work rather than dodging the world?

[wildflowerchild25]

Yeah I don't tell any of my coworkers what's really going on. But then, I don't feel I have to justify my absence to anyone but my boss. Even then, I just tell my boss I'm sick. As long as i don't go beyond my allowed sick days he doesn't ask questions.

Of course now I have to admit i was inpatient because the letter for work will be on the clinic's letterhead....otherwise it won't be official enough for work. they won't accept just a prescription blank with the dates. but i hope he doesn't tell anyone else. I HOPE.

the rumor mill at my work is pretty vicious.

personally I would just do as they say because I hate hassle but if you're up to it take it up the chain of command.

[ultramar]

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?

[Trippin2.0]

We usually get the minimum prescribed 30 days sick in a 36 month cycle ryc.

So I kind of think its unfair to use up sick hours as we don't get to accumulate it like we do leave hours... Idk if they're "allowed" to do that, this company I'm almost done working for (ADT), doesn't even want to put dental visits under sick, even if the dentist said you were not to talk for 3 days or whatever...

Can you not work in your time off or ask your boss to rather use your leave hrs? I find this better because if you use up your sick leave and get ill, they cant pay you in leave, its fraud, so you'll have to do with unpaid sick. But leave you can accumulate with overtime and such...

My supervisor gave me leave for bp related stuff. I'm in CPT btw

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

We usually get the minimum prescribed 30 days sick in a 36 month cycle ryc.

So I kind of think its unfair to use up sick hours as we don't get to accumulate it like we do leave hours... Idk if they're "allowed" to do that, this company I'm almost done working for (ADT), doesn't even want to put dental visits under sick, even if the dentist said you were not to talk for 3 days or whatever...

Can you not work in your time off or ask your boss to rather use your leave hrs? I find this better because if you use up your sick leave and get ill, they cant pay you in leave, its fraud, so you'll have to do with unpaid sick. But leave you can accumulate with overtime and such...

My supervisor gave me leave for bp related stuff. I'm in CPT btw

Where I work -and at other hospitals where I've worked- we have "Earned Time" which is combination vacation and personal time ('personal time' includes appointments, sickness, but 3 or less days). You earn about 4.75 hours a week, if you work 40 hours.

Then there's Extended Sick Leave which you take if you are out sick (with doctor's note) for more than 3 days in a row.

Is this how it is where you work? I had thought it was the same everywhere (in this country), but it looks like it's not.

[Trippin2.0]

Nope The only earned time you get here is annual leave / vacation time, and most likely they will fight you on when you can take it even though mosy companies hate paying out leave hours should you clear out your desk . We dont earn any other kind, personal time is unheard of. (sound heavenly though) You need a dr's note if you're calling in sick for 2 consecutive days or more, and a certificate may be requested if you take 2 sick days within an 8 week cycle....

Here they are very stingy on time off. I'm probaby facng disciplinary action upon my return for time taken off this week... but I couldn't care less at this point

Ps would have preferred a middlefinger smiley there

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by Trippin2.0

Nope The only earned time you get here is annual leave / vacation time, and most likely they will fight you on when you can take it even though mosy companies hate paying out leave hours should you clear out your desk . We dont earn any other kind, personal time is unheard of. (sound heavenly though) You need a dr's note if you're calling in sick for 2 consecutive days or more, and a certificate may be requested if you take 2 sick days within an 8 week cycle....

Here they are very stingy on time off. I'm probaby facng disciplinary action upon my return for time taken off this week... but I couldn't care less at this point

Ps would have preferred a middlefinger smiley there

When I say 'personal time' I mean as part of vacation time/annual leave, in the sense of appointments coming out of it, etc. If you have an appointment during work hours, does it come out of your vacation/annual leave? You don't have 'Extended Sick Leave?' Yikes!! This is what people here use for surgeries, for example. I've been working at this place for 4 years and haven't used any ESL, so I now have about 4 weeks accumulated. I may actually need a cervical spine surgery soon, and that's what I would take it out of (though I think they take your vacation hours first, not sure). What do you do if you have a surgery or long illness??

[Trippin2.0]

I've only ever known 2 people that had surgery, took extended leave (not sure what kind) and still had their jobs when they had recuperated. Others had to find a different place of employment... Here your vacation time covers everything that is not medical. Although I suspect extended sick leave would eat into you vacation hours... Annual Leave is accrued at 1 hr per 17 hrs worked Thats the main reason Overtime is actually a blessing, you get to accrue more than average.

[Cocosurviving]

Personally I would not turn in a list of my appts, if the comp handbook doesn't list it as a requirement. "If" you do, have your docs to list ur appts on blank paper w/ no letterhead.

Wild Flower Child, I understand you turned in documentation on letterhead, your not required to. Medical documentation only requires a statement from a doc saying you are under their care. And you will need ABC" time off or to attend appts (or were off) due to a illness. Then a docs name and contact number must be listed. Removing the letterhead is to protect privacy. I've used this method and had no problem.

[ultramar]

Originally Posted by Cocosurviving

Personally I would not turn in a list of my appts, if the comp handbook doesn't list it as a requirement. "If" you do, have your docs to list ur appts on blank paper w/ no letterhead.

Wild Flower Child, I understand you turned in documentation on letterhead, your not required to. Medical documentation only requires a statement from a doc saying you are under their care. And you will need ABC" time off or to attend appts (or were off) due to a illness. Then a docs name and contact number must be listed. Removing the letterhead is to protect privacy. I've used this method and had no problem.

Me too. When I was out for a few days due to a manic episode, I needed a note from my treating doctor, so my psychiatrist wrote a very short, general note. It was on hospital letterhead, but not department letterhead --there was no indication as to what kind of doctor he was. As Coco says, you don't need to reveal this. Also, by law, employers cannot ask you about your medical conditions.

[anon61514]

Yeah, I get 14 days sick leave for every 12 months worked. Pretty sure I've used up more than that already - as I did a big medication switcheroo earlier this year.

I think a part of me is trying to fight the stigma, as I find it quite revealing to see how people respond when I answer honestly (however, I only tell people in my department, not in others).

Journalism is pretty... stressful. So It helps to have people know when to give me space and when to hug me :P