Calling in sick to work
 

What happens when your attendance fails because of alcohol abuse at work. Ive already nearly exhausted my time off and sick days. Have had my boss calling and yelling at me. It was due to alcohol. I finally went to a therapist and a doc on friday... They told me to go to rehab and diagnosed me as an alcoholic. I have the notes and the information and told hr i might have to take ahort term disability to deal with medical issues... Can they still fire u? Its a big company.

Assuming you are in the US, this falls under the murky grey area of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If I had to guess, I'd say you could pull off the STD for rehab, and after you got back they would figure out some other reason to fire you.

You might also try googling FMLA, a lot of variables.

Obviously your drinking is having significant fallout, sadly it doesn't get better. What are your plans to get sober?

Managing the areas affected by your drinking is only going to become more complicated when the main issue is not being addressed. I am not trying to be harsh, I am concerned.

Do you have any sort of plan for getting sober? I see that rehab was suggested. I did 30 days of inpatient, it helped me tremendously, and gave me a good start and a good focus for when I got out. If it is possible for you I can't recommend it enough. I thought rehab was hardcore, it's not. When things are falling apart around you because of booze, it gets serious. This is a critical time in your life.

Whether you go to rehab, or you don't, it seems like you might be fired.

So go to rehab. If you are fired, it's better to be unemployed and sober, than unemployed and drunk.

If you currently have insurance and it covers rehab, go now! Take advantage of this time, so that this is the last time you have to wonder about whether you can be fired for this.

Best wishes to you.

If it's a large company and you initiate the process through HR, as you have done, you *should* be okay, but state laws vary. Sometimes you have to use the mental health benefit offered by your company for counseling, then the counseling refers you to rehab. Also, it is a business and they have the right to fill your existing position if necessary to achieve business results. I mean, it's not a charity after all. The work has to get done. So you may come back to find another position being offered, but considering the alternative (no job at all) it may be reasonable. It often depends on the type of job, the business, your relationship with your boss, your seniority, their investment in you, etc. And how much pain you have already caused them. Good luck with it!

In the states if you are seeking help for alcoholism it is illegal for them to fire you, although many companies do anyway, counting on the fact that an unemployed alcoholic will not pursue legal action. Going to HR was the best move!

US. Been there, done that, HR involved, paid medical leave, insurance paid rehab, returned sober to previous job with almost no absenteeism, switched positions, left company voluntarily several years later.

Company was big, sucked in general, but I had allies in my management chain that thought I did great work regardless.

I think the route I outlined above is your best case scenario. Don't imagine it impossible.

I have been receiving mental health counseling my employer recommended when i began havin issues. Its my therapist who recommended i go to an md who also diagnosed me with chronic alcholism. The manager involved has created a hostile work environment in the past and has been written up for it. He has harassed me through phone calls yelling at me when im sick and asking why in an accusatory fashion. I plan to return to work monday and if i can help it get therapy intensively without having to go the route of asking for std. But i told hr the possibilit is there. So what do u think now?

That changes nothing in my advice, assuming you are in the US. That's my guess from the language in your posts, but it helps lots if you just flat out tell us what country you are in.

In the US

Thanks. Your boss being a jerk is logically irrelevant to your alcohol problem. Don't mix the two, it's your employers job to weigh such things.....

My advice is that you go straight to HR and tell them what your therapist and doctor said and that you want and need additional help with your alcohol problem and you want to keep your job. Oh, and then do exactly what they say you should regarding getting help.

I cannot guarantee good results, nor can anyone else. It turned out well for me at a large US company 9ish years ago. I can only assume that it might work just as well now, but again, that is a best case scenario.

Worst case scenario, you know that already.

I wish you well.
It is your choice.

I CHOOSE not to drink today.
FG

Sick? Or "Sick"? With all due respect, that's not necessarily harassment...it could simply be calling you out...

I wish you the absolute best...

Chances are that you are already on your way out anyway and that your boss is perfectly aware that your sick days are in fact due to the "Irish Flu".
You might as well go to rehab and yes, legally they cannot fire you for going to rehab but if they want to get rid of you, they will find an excuse unless your job is spot on and you mind your Ps and Qs when you come back.

It sounds like there will be no guarantee of your job remaining if you go to rehab. I think you should do whatever it takes to get sober. Have faith that things will work out with your job.

Ive been legitatemly sick with pnemonia and allerges that have been compromised by the alcohol abuse and have documentation to prove it by an MD.

Assuming you qualify for FMLA leave (see criteria here: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs28.pdf) file a claim. Your job will protected for up to 3 months (unpaid) as long as you seek treatment for your alcoholism (i.e., rehab).

Short-term disability is insurance based. Not all companies offer it. But if yours does, take advantage of it because you may get all, or at least a portion of your salary while you are out.

Dude, people assume the worst if they suspect you're a drunk and you call in sick. Legit sick or not. Blaming them for that is a waste of everybody's time.

You first posted in May this year, it's now October. What have you been doing to try to get sober?

If you just wanna stay a drunk and not lose your job, you're in the wrong place. Your own advice will do just fine for that and end the same.

I once worked in a big company.

I came to understand that HR's #1 priority is to prevent their employer from being sued. Their primary role is to prevent lawsuits. HR does not "work" for employees. They only care about who pays their bills. And that would be the employer.

If you have a poor attendance record and if your work has suffered in the past, then those are things that can be easily documented. If they want you out, then they could create an extremely strong case against you.

Most likely, if the do fire you, then they will probably offer you some sort of severance and agree to act as a reference for you in the future. You would also, most likely, be able to collect unemployment benefits. In return, they will have you sign a piece of paper agreeing you will not sue....

I say... Go to rehab now and then go back to work if it is an option. It is much better for you to be fired by them than it is for you to simply quit.

I used to work for a large bank corporation. It was while working there that my drinking turned into an addiction. I was often late, called in sick, and seriously underperformed in my work. I did approach HR and made up various ailments like depression or diabetes. They were supportive and I was in no danger of being fired, but there was no way I would ever be promoted or advance in my career there. I eventually quit once that became clear.

Ive been seeking counseling and have relapsed and got back on the right track. I want to be sober. I need to be. End of story. Theres no more hope for me as a drunk.