Today I talk about mental health and the workplace. Many of you have reached out and asked me questions about this. How do I tell my boss I need to take time off? What do I do if I have a gap in my employment history due to time in the hospital? Do I have to tell them? So what do we do?
We make sure we only tell them what they need to know. Don’t go overboard and share everything you are going through, just let them know that for personal reasons you need some time off. Also, you could say that you weren’t working for a year due to a family issue or emergency. It is honestly up to you how much you share and what you tell them. So find your HR department and let them know what’s going on and get all the paperwork in order so that you can then focus on yourself and your recovery and treatment.
So reach out to your HR department asap so that you can get the support you need and deserve! We all know we don’t operate as well when we are struggling and without any support, so the sooner we reach out the better off we will be!
Please share any experiences you have in the comments. I know that rules and regulations can differ state to state and country to country, so the more we know the better!
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MY VIDEO SCHEDULE:
On Monday & Thursday I release a new video!
Monday – New mental health topic
Thursday -Something different! (q&a’s, guests, mental health in the news, etc)
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If you are interested in me reviewing a mental health facility, you may contact me at:
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Help us caption & translate this video!
http://amara.org/v/G0ze/
Thank you, Kati, this video is actually what I’ve been worrying about for a
while now. I had nothing to put on my CV after graduating from my
undergraduate degree and the gap just widened and widened. And now I’ve
been out of paid work for quite a while longer and the worry gets worse.
The only thing is, what if you don’t get to the interview stage because of
the gaps, and so you can’t tell them? It’s really frustrating and making my
anxiety and depression worse…
What has been your experience dealing with mental health and the workplace?
This is such a wonderful video.
I told my (ex) workplace for the first time last year. I told them the bare
minimum when I initially took time off (which was handled badly) but
eventually they asked me to see HR so they could help ease me back in to
work. It was the worst meeting of my life! I met with the HR manager and
she was a really horrible, judgmental woman. All I said was I’m having a
couple of weeks off due to an anxiety disorder and she just went off saying
it’s not her problem because it’s “you that’s sick, not the company” and
that I should be thankful I wasn’t around a few decades ago because i’d be
locked up and all this stuff. So inevitably I was having a panic attack and
crying (it was only us in the room) and she just kept on and on.. and on.
Then backed me in to quitting. She said they can’t fire me as I’ve
“technically” done nothing wrong so it had to be my choice and I was too
upset to speak because I was told it was a meeting purely to help me. Until
I told them I had mental health issues they were wanting to promote me,
then suddenly they wanted to fire me.. says it all! Anywaaaaaay. Needless
to say I’m glad I’m in a different job now!
On a positive note it is a huuuuuge reason why I decided to make my channel
and stand up for mental health awareness because people shouldn’t be put in
that situation when they’re already struggling. Especially by those
supposed to help.
But yes, amazing video! So much information I wish I knew in the past. 🙂
Thanks Kati. xoxo
Check out this vid on mental health and work!
Does anyone know if teachers can access your medical files?
what if your workplace is so small that it doesn’t have a human resource
department?
Hey! #katiFAQ
I Was curious to why Eating Disorders are so competitive?!
Thanks! Love your videos!!
I agree about the minimal information. It think human ressources are
managers that may help you to find ressources ”outside” the entreprise.
But I wouldn’t be assuming they will know in detail about mental illnesses
(and be understanding) … Minimal information.
I found out that in alberta canada, they are not allowed to fire you but if
they deem the leave too long and have to hire a replacement, they have the
right to lower your status and put you in any position that is available at
the time. This means that if you are a full time manager in my company,
they have the right to bump you down to a part time associate even with a
medical note. I think it’s important for people to find out what the laws
are before making any decisions. I
This is good advice. I’ll keep this video in mind if I ever need to take
time off due to mental health reasons.
What if you are starting a new job whilst having current difficulties? Work
might help, but I might still struggle and I won’t know until I try. Do I
tell them I have a mental health problem or just see if I can get through
it? I don’t think they can do anything to help anyway, but I’m worried my
performance might be affected. I was dismissed during the probation period
of my last job and I’m scared of the same thing happening again. (I think
my mental health issues were involved, but I had never told them about it)
Great (and important) video Kati!!
Maybe someone can relate to me… I’m mostly in recovery from an ED and am
a grad student. The other week I started crying in my supervisors office
(out of nowhere), he was kinda shocked and asked if it was related to
school and if it was it was important for him to know, I just said no, it
was personal, and we moved on. A few days later I was talking to him on the
phone about research stuff at the end he brought up how I was upset and
after a few questions I just said I was in recovery from an ED and some
days are harder than others. His response was really kind, he empathized
with me and said if I needed any names he could help. Its been a few weeks
now and things are NOT awkward at all, it hasn’t been brought up again.
If you feel comfortable it helps to speak up.
This video came at such an appropriate time for me. I’m currently having a
shitty time with anxiety and depression and my boss is just…hard work. I
thankfully have an understanding project coordinator but even she doesn’t
think I should tell my boss because she’ll see it a weakness and another
reason to victimise me about. It’s such a horrible position to be in
because I don’t want to be vulnerable, but I am and my boss will see this
as more reason to be a dick. I don’t think I have the strength in me to
fight it either.
.hey kati I just found your channel and it has made me feel a lot better
Today I went to the doctor and they saw that I have self harmed and asked
if I did it and I said yes but they told me that I’ll grow out of it
because I’m a teenager I want a therapist or someone to talk to but I can
tell my mum or dad
Hi Kati, I was off 7 months 3 yrs ago. We don’t have HR in my work place,
my manager got in touch with HR based outside the company, I had one phone
call with them and that is all! I almost lost my job because of my
absence!!! Right then I felt victimised and didn’t think I was treated at
all fairly! Right now I am not sure of how I would get in touch with HR by
telephone. I’d need to check. This was my experience and also I felt I had
not enough time to put my case forward and I was not aloud to get in touch
with HR it’s like they were for the company. It was a bad bad time. Thank
god it’s not that bad now
+Kati Morton thanks for the great video topic, i have really struggled with
gaps in my work history, and this helped, just wanted to say thank you for
all you do for us!!—Thomas
Hey Kati great videos keep up the amazing jobs
This is a great resource! I’ve worked mostly in many banking environments,
the resources are available, you just have to find them. Don’t let your own
confidence be your worst enemy or create undue pressure or shame.
I have dealt with this at my job, I went off two separate times a few years
ago. The first time I did out patient therapy and came back with a letter
that listed accommodations that my employer was to make. They did the bare
minimum and refused one of the steps. I called my local disabilities office
and was told, the employer knew how to walk a very fine line, so as not to
get themselves in trouble.
And the HR department is not really for us, we have an EAP office, and that
is our only help. I had to jump through hoops just to leave work early, one
day a week, to meet with my therapist.
Hey! Could you do a video on codependency? Thank you.
Hey Kati. I just found out that my dog has about a month left to live, and
my instinct reaction was to cut him out of my life essentially. I didn’t
want to look at him or anything. I have since been trying really hard to
pay close attention to him and give him lots of love, but I don’t
understand why that was my immediate urge. Any thoughts? Thanks
Ps I love your videos!
+Kati Morton can you help me plz. My parents have been fighting alot even
to the extent that I think I may suffer from mild dipression. What should I
do?
Thank you +Kati Morton
I have been on both sides of the HR desk. I had to stop a guy from telling
me what was going on at his last job. Then when I recommended his hiring I
had to put that stuff our of my head. He turned out to be a good employee.
I am slowly coming out with my PTSD and being on the DID continuum because
I am going to work for someone who understands. Me. I agree people at
work should know stuff only on a need to know basis. And most people have
gaps on their resume. Even managers and HR people. My answer is to go to
work for myself. Great video as always.