Chris80

Hello,

I am in very early recovery and have missed quite a bit of work lately. My boss sat me down this morning and offered to help me out because he sees me as a bright employee with a long future with this company, however my abscences have been a problem. I told him that I am having some problems and am on medicine and seeing a therapist weekly but left it at that. He said that it's no one's business what is going on but if he is going to help me, he needs to know so that he can find help from the company's HR dept.

This seems like a lifeline but also I know that there could be consequences if I relapse. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks,
Chris

dancinggirl

You do not have to tell your boss ANYTHING!! If your company has an EAP (employee assistance program) than that goes DIRECTLY through the HR dept. The HR dept. doesn't need to know the specifics either, just gives you information on how to access your EAP. The insurance people do NOT tell the company what specific types of therapy, help, etc., that any employee receives, just that help was received and the amount of money involved.

I would advice thanking your boss, saying that you'd be interested in any kind of EAP provided and that you will be contacting the HR department to look into it.

Telling your boss you're an alcoholic can open up a whole can of worms you don't need in early recovery.

Wishing you the best!

Bamboozle

Excellent advice, DG.

Horselover

I vote no too! Vote early and vote often - new mantra!

dancinggirl

Off topic, but HL...hilarious!!! Hahahaha!

parentrecovers

i suggest you keep the conversations simple/not detailed with your boss and reach out to hr. you're lucky to have the support available through your employment. take advantage of that. sounds like your boss is giving you an opportunity. be grateful. hugs, k

Ananda

WOW even though i agree with what others have said...i told my boss....here is how it all wnt cause i'm not sure where you are at in absenteism and stuff.

I had 800 hours of sick pay that i used up in about 4 years. My productivity ws great and i was excellent in many ways, but the missing work was way out of hand.

I had been going to drs. and had pancreatitis and other problems of which I had told my boss. After 2 years it had ceased to matter anymore what the problem was.....it was effecting the work place and they CAN let you go at a certain point regardless of the reason.

So I went to treatment for 30 days and only communicated with HR what was going on. Upon my return I told my boss that I had been to treatment cause the dr.s had said they couldn't help with any of the other stuff unless I quit drinking

She is a hard ass..but she was really happy...she said she felt like there really was hope that i would get better now. If I had not told her the deal I think I would have been more likely to be a person that they were waiting on an excuse to fire...as it is, I have been back from treatment for 14 months and although i still miss work for health and recovery related things....There is no hard feelings and things are fine.

So just something to think about.

Horselover

Isn't it great to get views from both sides of the fence and Ananda's especially because she's been in your shoes. Good luck with whatever choice you make and know you have friends here to vent to if needed. We are a fun bunch on the whiners thread!

Chris80

Thank you all for wieghing in on this issue. I still haven't decided what I am going to do, but I think either way my boss already knows what is going on. I left the office unannounced 2 times and got caught both times. My boss said in our "talk" that he doesn't know if it's drugs or alcohol or something else but he just wants to see me get better so I can succeed. He also said that he isn't going to pry at all, but implied that the more I say, the more he will know how to help.

I've been to rehab before while at a different company, but have been relapsing more and more often lately and thus missing work or drinking on the job. I need help and I think it is obvious to my boss.

I think I will tell him if I go back to rehab and take time off for that, but not if I do intensive outpatient. All I know is that I want to do whatever is needed to stay sober.

Isaiah

Even if your boss knows, what you want to tell him and the company are the reasons and ways in which you're going to improve with your absences. When your boss said "I don't know if it's..." that's basically what he was saying too, "I don't really need to know the details, just tell me what the solution is going to be."

MROBI

just be careful not to hurt anybody else. i would'nt recomend dronking on the job or while driving.

Anna

He might know, but he doesn't know for sure.

In my opinion, do NOT tell him. It's just no advantage to you, to tell him at this point. Just focus on your recovery.

Chris80

Spot on Isaiah, I never looked at it that way, but it is a great perspective and most likely exactly what he is thinking. I know he just wants me to fix whatever my problem is so that I can perform at work.

51Anna - As the day has gone on, I have decided that NOT telling him is probably for the best. I've admitted that there is an (obvious) problem but don't need to get more specific.

Thank you all for your input, this has made this decision a whole lot easier.