Treatment for gambling addiction

cdavis

Does treatment for a gambling addiction qualify as a FMLA situation?

Don D

this is similar to alcoholism treatment programs qualifying, except that alcoholism is defined as an illness. I would say that to the extent that gambling addictions are connected by the practicioner to medical/mental health situations, then these would be qualifying. Depends on the certification you receive from a medical practitioner. Addiction treatment centers all have medical staff associated with them as part of the training and those professionals know how to connect the dots to qualify this type of program. I would think it would be diagnosed as a compulsive addictive situation and treated as such. I don't know how your insurance plan might respond to this sort of treatment, but that might be the answer to whether or not the condition or its treatment is a medically recognized issue.

cdavis

Thank you for your response. The treatment in question is being administered at an "in-patient" facility, and the employee is being treated for depression associated with the addiction. So we will treat this as a qualified FMLA situation.

Don D

You might also want to consider the ADA implications. Psychiatric disorders are typically going to invite ADA protection which requires some analysis by the employer if accommodation is indicated.