Mental Health Leave of Absence: How to Ask When You Need It!

Mental health plays a major role in our everyday lives, especially at work. Many people say that their workload from the office tends to pile up very easily, and when it does, it  can get a bit overwhelming. 

Talking about mental health might not be easy for everyone, especially when they are opening up about their feelings in a workplace setting. Research shows that there is not a small number of employees who choose to suppress their burden rather than face embarrassment, discomfort or awkwardness when talking about mental health. 

For some, the stress and pressure from the office cannot be easily solved by a ‘quick-fix’ such as an after-work break or a short weekend vacation. If employees continue to force themselves to show up at work even at times when they are deeply mentally overwhelmed, their performance can be greatly influenced. Results from their performance at the office may deteriorate, which is obviously undesirable for the company. 

Awareness about mental health has become more important than ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. During these times of uncertainty that is filled with fear and worry, all of our mental healths have indirectly been affected. Many of us are dealing with matters far beyond just our office work. 

For both employees and employers,  it’s helpful to understand the concept of taking a leave of absence from work for mental health, its definition and all the reasons behind one. Let's first understand the definition of a mental health leave of absence!

A mental health leave of absence refers to when an employee takes a period of time off from work to improve their mental health condition. The FMLA (Family and Mental Leave Act) specifically, also includes helping to take care of someone under the employee’s care (usually a family member or spouse) who is suffering from a mental illness, as a valid part of the leave. 

The weight from the office has only been heavier and heavier for workers throughout the years. When the workforce is getting increasingly competitive, employees can experience significant mental pressure. This burden they carry on their backs can greatly impact their mental well-being.  

One notable thing we all can learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown is that when people are surrounded by so many uncertain, worrying and distressing situations, they can suffer from anxiety and deep stress. The two reasons above have proved why it has become more important than ever for impacted employees to take leave of absence due to mental health, when they truly need it. 

When employees need to take a mental health absence from work, it is crucial that their employers are supportive. HR employers need to raise awareness in the office why a leave of absence from work for mental health is completely necessary to avoid deteriorating employee performance and well-being. When done properly and appropriately, a medical leave of absence for mental health can benefit both employees and employers.

Although it varies, there are obvious signs that indirectly notify your body and mind to take leave of absence for mental health. The following symptoms are things you might want to pay more attention to, as they are signs you need stop postponing taking a leave of absence for mental health:  

1. Losing passion in work

Do you feel like you are dreading yourself to work every single day? Forcing yourself to go to work and feeling like you have nothing to look forward to during your working days are signs that you are losing passion in your work. Mentally, it could feel as if you are purposelessly working and keep losing interest in work you were once enthusiastic about. Even, you can get to a point of questioning why you enjoyed your work in the first place. If this is the case for you, requesting time off for mental health can truly help you regain your passion towards work. 

2. Experiencing anxiety about work

If you overthink every single movement you are about to make at the office because of anxiety, you might need to take a medical leave of absence for anxiety. If anxiety continuously arises every time you think about work-related matters, it’s a sign for you to destress, regain calmness and come back to work when you feel renewed. 

3. Experiencing burnout

Employees who feel like they have accumulated burdens here and there that seemed “small” at the time, will one day realize that they cannot suppress their stress any longer. When employees are seriously burnt-out, taking personal leave for mental health might be their best option. 

4. Difficulty concentrating

If you have constant worries about matters that are both from work and outside of work, it can be extremely difficult to focus. You will find yourself constantly worrying and failing to concentrate on the task you are working on - this is a clear sign you need to take a LOA for mental health. A mental health leave of absence can act as a time for you to rest and manage the thoughts that hinders you from performing your best at work. 

5. Deeply struggling to complete your responsibilities

You feel like you’re struggling to complete even the smallest of tasks? Let alone, you find it hard to even just show up to work? Let’s not talk about your full responsibility - when you feel like the burden from a single, considerably easy task feels several times more burdening than it should be, your body is telling you to take a step back and have a break. If you feel like you’re falling off from your work routine and losing consistency, taking leave of absence for mental health should be the fix you need!

How to request a leave of absence for mental health? When you are certain that you need a mental health leave of absence, it is helpful to understand the two different types of leave you can take. There are two ways an employee can arrange time for taking LOA for mental health: 

1. Continuous 

A continuous type of a mental health leave of absence from work is when an employee takes an uninterrupted period of time off from work to improve their mental health. This uninterrupted period of time refers to, for example, a continuous one month off from work.  

2. Intermittent 

A intermittent type of mental health leave of absence from work is when an employee requests a couple hours off from the usual working days, or a couple of days off from the usual working week. This leave means that the break is taken sporadically. 

Choosing the type of mental health leave of absence that works for you and the company is the most important!

As an employee, you have options of leave benefits you can use to take a mental health absence from work. You can have access to a leave of absence due to mental health from the following options:

1. Employer-provided benefit

If you are wondering if you can get a paid leave of absence for mental health, the answer is you probably can, but it’s according to your employer! Due to the growing awareness about the importance of mental health for the workforce, more and more employers are giving not only leave, but access to healthcare as a benefit for employees. 

2. Short-term disability

If you have insurance from the office, it is worth checking if your insurance covers a ‘Short-term Disability’ paid leave. Since disability can mean different things in different insurances, you need to look into your insurance to see if it covers mental health related illnesses. 

3. Local federal employment law

FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) and PFML (Paid Family and Medical Leave) are two of the most common local federal employment laws that address the LOA for mental health matters. It is also best to check which law is available in your state to be more sure. 

Your company’s HR department should help you in understanding what options are available for you at the office.

Employers, the tips below will help guide you in facing employees who want to take a leave of absence due to mental health:

1. Approach with sincerity and not cynicism 

During such a difficult time for your employees, approach their request for leave with sincerity. As managers, dealing with mental health absence from work with sincerity will indirectly influence other people in the office to gain awareness on the topic. 

2. Be empathetic

When HRs are trying to build a mentally healthy environment for employees to work in the office, empathy is a core characteristic to practice. Being empathetic will also make the job much easier for you when dealing with employees who request a mental health leave of absence.  

3. Be patient

When you feel confused about the whole LOA for mental health situations, know that it might be as, or even more confusing, for your employees who are requesting it. Due to many uncertainties, be patient and deal with these matters with a clear head. 

4. Train managers to recognize signs of mental health issues

As HR managers, it is also your unwritten responsibility to raise awareness about mental health issues among your co-workers in the office. All department managers need to be able to recognize signs of mental health related conditions, as not all employees tend to speak up. A brief seminar and training would significantly help them to identify the signs of when an employee needs a mental health leave of absence.

--- Originally written by Lorencia Ang Budijono ---