newfriend

New to the group and considering rehab. I would NOT want my employer to know about this, so I am wondering what others have told their employer about why they need 30 days of sick leave? Any thoughts?

Bmac

Welcome newfriend! I did an outpatient detox because I could not afford the time away from work. I am a teacher and did this during my spring break so it didn't affect my job.

dotboston

I actually did tell my work when I took 30 days off. I had been at the company for about 8 years and they were very understanding and concerned, but it was probably not a great idea. HR certainly put the hush-hush on the "why" (which is what they should have done). It ended up not impacting me in the end, and I did well at the company sober until I left a few years later.

If you speak with your Doctor, you should be able to get a medical leave of absence note for this. Your work has no right to ask you what it's for, and your Doctor can't disclose it.

You might still have people asking you personally why, but it's none of their business. Just say "I have to take care of a medical issue" and change the subject.

In the end, getting the help you need trumps anything that could happen at work!

Good luck!

fini

what dotboston says. if your doc says you are not well enough to work and need medical leave in order to get back to health, your employer need know nothing else.
welcome, and great to see you look at your options.

MelindaFlowers

I second the doctor idea. And remember it is a legitimate health issue.

I just say that because some people say "well, I don't want to lie..." Hogwash.

It's not lying. Health privacy laws are there for a reason. Your boss may ask but repeat that it is a private health issue. Done.

You are brave and proactive in your recovery for going!

FeelingGreat

Minor operation combined with the need to recuperate. Woman's issue if your boss is a guy.

Della1968

I would tell them anything except I was going to rehab and I am usually honest to a fault. Unless drinking has caused you problems at work...then it might be good to let them know you are being proactive.

LaTraviata

Hi, new friend. If you're a woman, I can attest that telling a male boss you have a woman's health issue puts the kibosh on questions right away!

Does your employer have an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? Often, using the EAP with HR's guidance can allow you to work on a part-time basis, or work off site if this helps your recovery. And they are bound by privacy laws.

No matter what consequences you fear, your recovery is more important than your job. Nobody wants to have a career setback, but alcohol is progressive and if you don't get treatment, it's very likely to seriously damage your health or even end your life. (And for sure it will end your career!)

Kllme

Completely dependant on occupation. And why does it have to be 30 days? Why that number? Most people go into rehab for detox purposes mostly. After that it is all meetings when you could do at any time.

Explaining Rehab will either get you fired for some random thing they will make up or make you unfireable because it is like hiring someone with a known medical issue. What happens if an employee has cancer andd has to take off for months and months. Something tells me it is unlawful to fire him and just bad human move as well.

I could never tell an employer. No one will understand or care. And then if something happens, blame the drunk guy. I used to be drunk at work and no one would know. But it effected my performance so horribly, eventually leads to termination. Starts so small and gradually escalates. In year 2 of drinking everyday/ everynight. I was doing great at my job. But it escalated fast because I couldn't recover in time anymore. Plus the visible signs are there. Fatigue, tardiness, not looking healthy, appearing unkempt, some jaundice, some weight gain. When you first start drinking, the only ailment you may have is getting your butt up in the morning but usually by 10:00 you are golden. How many of us would get trashed in college yet that 8 AM class wasn't that hard to get too

I never thought it would be like this. I am not completly honest about my problems with anyone except basically on here. Employers wants results; not excuses.

Music

The TRUTH! He probably already knows.

Kllme

By the way, this is kind of my reasoning for thinking the liver never fully recovers. Everyone talks about the regeneration process but yet you will hear about someone being sober for 2 years, go on a bender and has issues right away.

Persys

If you work for a large organization please keep in mind that HR is there to protect the company, not the employee. Be very careful with what you do disclose, they aren't your doctor and they don't need to know everything.

Dee74

The liver can recover - it doesn't become invulnerable tho.
if we return to alcoholic drinking we really should expect all the various health maladies that alcoholics can suffer.

Having recovered once from physical damage doesn't make us immune in future.

D

MovingForward1

I know this is an old thread but it's downright scary. I'm working on how and what to tell work. I need to quit researching and just do it.

least

I would just say it's a personal health matter. They do not need to know. (unless you've done something there while drunk) You need a leave of absence to recuperate. That's all they need to know.

hellrzr

I know it doesn't answer your question, but what steps have you taken so far to stop on your own? Have you talked to a therapist? Have you tried AA?

For myself, I was around AA for a year and told myself it didn't work and started looking into rehab facilities. When things got bad enough and I needed help in a hurry, I actually listened to those in AA and my sponsor and suddenly AA started working! Just something for you to think about while you are looking into your options. It seems like about every time when folks get out of rehab they are told to attend AA and work that program. My sponsor, who went to rehab, likes to say that some people just like to buy the expensive Big Book : ).

SoberCAH

I told my employer that I was an alcoholic and that I needed to get help.

They wished me well, but admonished me that "it better take."

I needed to hear that last part, and I have taken it to heart ever since.

MelindaFlowers

This. I say as little as necessary.

Lance40

I'm in Canada and work closely with HR in my company to manage employee short and long term disability cases. All that is required for a medical absence is a doctor's note ordering an employee be away from work for x amount of time. Everything else is confidential and should not be shared with an employer. I would expect that a doctor would write an absence note for someone who needed rehab treatment for alcoholism, and I would strongly caution against telling an employer about an addiction.

red3215

I would just say it's a "family emergency" and personal. All true here. I may be going, too, and my boss (who knows I have penalties for a DUI) thinks that's the best thing to tell everyone else.