mental health leave

Roger Corbin · March 2006

I work for a private, non-profit. My question is an employee has indicated on her leave request she took 2 hours of sick leave for "mental health time" last week). Our practice is to typically have a medical provider's statement, FMLA statement, if intermittent time is required for mental health.

This employee has no previous history nor medical provider's statement on file indicating that it is "medically necessary" to have mental health day(s).

She has not been an abuser of any type of leave, however, you know how employee's share if this is approved as sick leave.

Suggestions?

Thanks for any input.

mwild3136 · March 2006

Hi Roger

Have you spoken with the employee? I wonder if she was just being a little flip & doesn't know that this type of comment on a leave request form can start the fml ball rolling....

Mandi

Roger Corbin · March 2006

Have not yet spoken to the employee. Thought I would bounce it off the Forum first. Good idea though.

mwild3136 · March 2006

"Have not yet spoken to the employee. Thought I would bounce it off the Forum first. Good idea though."

Ah! I would talk to her first. "Mental health time" could run the gamut from frustration with work and/or a co-worker & needing a chance to get away & cool off, to needing to take some personal time for a manicure or shopping - separate from kids and/or spouse, to actually being at a counseling appointment. I wouldn't try to pry into her business, but I would explain to her that "mental health time" doesn't qualify for sick leave unless accompanied by a doctor's note & the ee is qualified for fml. The conversation will then either go the way of "okay, I'll get a note" or it will go the direction of "I'm stressed out because..." or "I'm frustrated at (co-worker A),...", or "sorry, that's not what I meant...", etc. Good luck & let us know how it turns out. x:-)

Mandi

pork1 · March 2006

ROGER: Welcome to the forum, I try to be as accmodating as possible on the side of the ee. After all they will be using leave hours that have been granted (awardwd) and the more we can do to help them burn the time over the time it is better for the fiscal management of the company. It is better for the budget execution for the ee to burn up sick time and vacation time over the year instead of one blast for one week in one business period. Just make sure they are not abusing it and then not have any time when they are really sick and then loose their job because of not haveing authorized time to be away.

PORK

Roger Corbin · March 2006

What I am thinking of is: to tell the employee that the leave will be granted, however, changed to annual leave, and that we would change the leave back to sick leave upon receipt of appropriate documentation there was a medical basis for the leave. HR has visited with the employee six months ago relative to FMLA, provided her with FMLA forms, however, the employee withdrew her request for FMLA because the serious health condition did not occur (at that time it was a physical health concern).

So, the employee is aware of FMLA. My suspicion is that she was having a bad day and just needed to go home. Again, I have not talked yet to the employee.

Paul in Cannon Beach · March 2006

2 hours for mental health sake? That would be nine holes of golf for me.

jimbomt · March 2006

Seems to me if the employee has accrued sick time, that mental health would be within the definition of sick leave. Illness doesn't have to be just a physical ailment. The employee sensitive part of me is responsible for this post. I would permit it, but thats just me

mental health leave

Comments