Boss’ Brilliant Response To Employee Asking For Mental Health Day Off Goes Viral
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A web developer named Madalyn Parker recently took a few days off from work to focus on her mental health. When she got an email back from her boss about it, though, she was stunned by his response.
Parker, who works for live chat software engineering company Olark, has been a vocal advocate for supportive workplaces since writing an emotional essay in 2015 about her harrowing battle with mental health issues and how they affect her career. Corporate culture often stigmatizes depression, anxiety and other mental disorders, despite the fact that peak mental performance is often essential to these kinds of jobs. With her most recent experience, Parker shows the world that a little compassion goes a long way.
After sharing the email she received from her boss, Olark CEO Ben Congleton, a wave of praise rolled in. Over 9.5 thousand retweets and 32 thousand likes later, Congleton and his touching message have gone viral, and people have pretty much unanimously decided that every boss should be like him. Find out what he said below, and let us know how your boss would handle this situation in the comments!
(h/t: Attn)
Meet Madalyn Parker, a web developer from Michigan who works for Olark
Recently, she found herself needing a few days off, which she emailed her team about right away
The way her boss responded, though, was something most of us would never imagine
After sharing the touching message on Twitter, the world pretty much gave him a digital standing ovation
Unfortunately, employees from other companies didn’t get the same support from their bosses
Some people even sparked a discussion on what kind of leave people should be taking for mental health issues
Do you think employees deserve days off work to take care of their mental health?
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I CAN'T believe the comment that compares vacation to "mental health needs". Sure you go on vacation to get relief from stress, but do ppl really still ignore the difference between stress and depression? Unbelievable.
Yes they do. As well, Ppl think a mental health day is an excuse for "retail therapy". When one suffers from an illness like depression or anxiety the last thing you want to do is go out shopping!
If you are ill, you should not come to work, and that is strongly in the interest of the employer. What might be misleading in her quote is the "refreshed", which might make people think that "mental health issue" equals "being a bit worn out" and refreshing means "taking a day on the bright side of life". The boss' attitude is not really surprising though, if she works in an environment of agile software development. Typically, the people are not seen as "human ressources" in such a context but respected for their contributions.
Couldn't agree more.
Are they usually relaxed about deadlines as well ?
Yes and no: if you truly develop in an agile way, you will have increments of the working software product that get closer and closer to what the customer expects. However, this requires an agile customer as well. If you combine agile development with classic contracting, classic deadline problems might still arise, although there are strategies to counter the resulting stress (such as timeboxing).
For us Germans this concept is iust so strange. Depending on your employer ou have 5-6 weeks (legal min-max) vacation per year and when you are sick, you are sick. Your doctor decides and writes a note.
Most companies in the US only give 2 weeks' paid vacation per year, and that often only starts AFTER you've been with the company for a full year. It also used to be common to additionally have 5 sick days per year, but many companies now do not offer this and instead have you use your vacation time towards being sick. They often require a doctor's note if you don't put in for time off in advance. On top of that, supervisors and managers will often criticize workers for taking sick days, and sometimes even for taking vacation days. It is a really messed up system here!
While the German system is exploitable (there undoubtedly are some lazy people who are on good terms with their doctors...), a good share of holidays and especially sick lead to a much higher productivity. And I think for the society it is much better if people work very hard 40 hours a week and have time off after that than if they work 60 hours are week, mostly being bored during that time.
Two weeks paid holidays is not enough in this modern age to regenerate yourself. In New Zealand we get 4 weeks off (if you are not self employed), and I think that is enough, along with sick leave, bereavement leave.
Yeah, well America is a pretty fucked up place in most respects with regard to the rest of the modern world. If you were to rank the countries in the G8 by how much their government actually cares about them the US would probably come in, like, 11th or 12th. Yes, out of 8. That's how much America sucks.
I used to work for a company that gave you one paid day off per year you worked there, and it was a hard job too, 6 to 7 days a week about 12 hours a day and ten on Sunday, Construction. Of course they tried to renege on even that agreement.
Not everywhere in the U.S. is as nice as above. Actually, last place I worked at I only had one day off a year. If I changed shifts with someone it'd be okay but everyone was too overworked to take your shift. I also had to stay late every day, but no overtime pay except on holidays which we work every holiday. :(
That is the norm for a lot of American workers. I've had jobs that didn't offer any paid sick or vacation leave. If I was sick I could call in but I certainly wasn't going to be paid. I'd go to work sick to avoid losing pay.
Olivia Wohl, your previous workplace sounds horrible.
In Italy is the same.
Dear Giovanna, how I miss Italy. Having experienced both (US and Italy) systems I definitely think that Europe treats the workforce better, in terms of helping create a healthy balance between personal and work life. The criticism towards people who take time off to tend to their family needs is unbelievable out here. In my very first years I remember saying to my coworkers "I have a life outside of here to which I give absolute priority" resulting in immediate dislike from their part. I could not comprehend how people would bend to such a rigid, unforgiving mentality of labeling as "lazy" anyone who would not be bothered by taking an unpaid (mind you) day off to take care of a sick family member. And guess what? 14 years later, I find myself fitting this system and playing along with it, because by fighting it I have missed many opportunities to advance in jobs I loved.
I just interviewed for a job that says in the first year, they give 8 DAYS MAXIMUM. That's for vacation and sick time...
The only way I can take a legit vacation is if I disable my work email and block all phone calls from my office.
Same here in Switzerland, we also have 4 to 5 weeks of VACATION per year. If you fall ill during your vacation and a doctor gives a certificate for your boss and then you can take back the days you where ill into a vacation time! Also vacation is never linked with being off for illness. Thank God I live in very civilized country.
Wow what... irrelevant comment here but Germans get 5-6 weeks of vacation per year? You guys are super lucky!
This is general in all of Europe, yet the USA is Great and rules the world while the population in the States suffer. How many homeless people, people with no coverage of medical aid, how many people don't have access to one meal a day, how veterans have no help or little after serving in all the wars the US goverment has made through out this world, no America has never been great for the workers only for the very greed and ruthless rich. Ahmen!
Sadly many companies in Canada & the US don't really "allow" sick days...And many do not give any vacation time at all.....
I can speak for Canadians... that is against labour laws, which Canada does take very seriously. Contact the CRA if you have issues.
I have done this but I had to lie and say I had the flu or something physical (not mental) because people still don't understand depression, or side effects of anti-depressants.
I feel very sad about the way it is the States. If the companies big boss and the top guns of goverment didn'dt have slaves to do the work or go to war, who would then? Not having any respect for those who built their country is totally unfaire and horrible. USA will never be great until basic human rights are applied.
If your job makes you depressed you need to quit. You should be happy at your job even if you suffer from depression. If you are not, you need to reevaluate your life. Otherwise, it's all downhill from here.
Easier said than done- not everyone can quit their job if they have family commitments or other commitments to worry about. I do agree that one should be happy at their jobs but sometimes it's not always in the cards...
If you need day or few to fix your mental health do it! After a nervous breakdown and when you go on meds when you get depression, you will not be productive in your work and for your employer anyway. Boss who care about own employers and company interest should understand that.
If I call my boss and tell her "I'm calling in sick" she knows I may not be physically ill, or even particularly mentally ill. She just gets I need an unexpected day or two off and doesn't need to know why. I don't abuse the privilege, but I use it. I work in a relentlessly top-down environment and I'm lucky to have a decent human being as a boss.
I do believe that there are a lot of understanding individuals in leadership roles, but they are definitely a minority. When you are lucky to find one, hang on and don't let go. Some "hidden" benefits are priceless.
I agree with all of that. That's among the reasons I am dismayed by the erosion of workers' protection laws in this country (US). Decency and humanity are not corporate values by definition. I should feel lucky to be treated with respect and dignity at work.
If only our company's system respected even our physical health... We only have a limited number of permitted day-offs, and sickness is no extra. Unless you are almost dying in a hospital. If you use those days for sickness, you can say good-bye to holidays.
Really? I don't know how it works in the US. Where I live you have a yearly amount of days of paid vacation, but sick days don't get into the count. Sick days are whenever you need them, given that a doctor certifies you are really sick.
KrisF: yes, we have to go to the doctor every time. Since it is paid sick leave, and potentially it doesn't have a limit in days per year, you can't certify it for yourself.
I dunno how it works in US either. I'm talking about S. Korea, where it depends from company to company.
Do you have to go to the doctor every time for a note? I don't know if that is better since I don't need to do that until my sick days are used up. In the US, it depends on the employer- my mom's work is like Daria's, my sister doesn't have a defined limit on sick days, and I have separated sick and vacation time.
I'm pleasantly shocked by the CEos response. My daughter killed herself 3 years ago and while I was still working after that, I needed several mental health days and my company was very understanding. I even let my son take mental health days from school after her death. We needed to take care of us.
My brother just passed away of the same thing, we were very close. Anyways working at a place free overtime and everything for over a year and needed to take a week to say goodbye and help the funeral, and come straight back in.then my employer told me to "cheer up or they would have a problem" so I quit and they made my life hell for quitting
I'm so sorry for the loss of your brother. And for you to have to go through something like that while grieving for him must have been horrible. Sending love and condolences. xx
I'm so sorry to hear that Bunny Sevex. Your ex employer sounds like a very heartless person. Obviously, they haven't lost someone that's close to them before.
I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. That's so sad. No one should be so depressed to do that to themselves. I wish people were more kind, and really stick to their word of "being there for one another".
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Can't believe you had to use mental health days! That seems like it should fall under FMLA laws.
The problem with FMLA is that you aren't paid during that time out. I don't know if that's still true today but it was the one time I used it at least 2 decades ago.
I see that a lot of these comments are suggesting that she shouldn't take time off just because it wouldn't fit within the PTO policy of another employer. Your personal situation or the policy on time off at your own company, should not dictate the actions of others. If her company allows her to take time off, then its her prerogative to use it as she sees fit. Likewise, if you dislike the policies of your own company, then it is your prerogative to seek alternative employment. And just for the record, I work in the US and my company gives me 20 days of PTO per year and that does not account for sick leave. I would like to see the source from the commenter that suggested most US companies only give 2 weeks of leave.
I'm not writing to dispute what Lauren has said, I'm genuinely curious - never had more than two weeks PTO, with sick days counting for the total - two different states, both "right to work" states. Wondering how others compare.
I have never had a job that had any PTO days and most of them didn't even have a week of vacation until you worked there 2 years and it was not paid vacation either, My husband, on the other hand, has worked his current job for 4 years and is up to having 2 PTO days and 2 weeks paid vacation. ( He has a job that he has to carry a gun and wear a bullet proof vest and make barely over minimum wage)
I live in canada, and the most time off I have ever gotten is 2 weeks at most jobs I've had....Assuming you get it that way. Many places when you aren't full time just give you the equivalent in pay with your regular paycheck.....so you don't really have "vacation". 3 weeks is considered primo at the lower end of the job market. Luckily I have often had good bosses, but myself have pulled the "sick" for a mental health day.There are days it is not wise for me to be at work if you want me to work, or not cause a scene(tears, pissed off, hopeless, whatever...it varies =])
You can look it up on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. The average PTO for vacation at 25 years for all full-time employees is 15.7 days. Since that duration is becoming increasingly rare, let's look at 10 years, which is 13.9 days. Now this is vacation only, but the average sick leave at 25 years is 10.9 days, while it is 10.3 days at 10 years. That means that ~50% offer less than this. Also, if you work in blue-collar and service industries, your time off is about 10% less than the average. Your company giving you 20 days per year of vacation is a major exception, usually reserved for those in positions of significant power within the company (executives, upper management, etc.). Most companies with entry positions start you out with no paid leave for one year, and then give you between five and ten days PTO, including sick leave. It takes another four to five years for you to increase that.
Every place I ever worked either starts you with 5 or 10 days of paid leave. It takes a few years to get 15 days, and generally you only ever get 5 days of sick time EVER. It's pretty standard with everyone I know. I know there are companies that don't fit this mold, but I've had lots of experience with multiple companies and their PTO/Sick policies, and starting with 10 days was the biggest I ever saw - and often that was AFTER a year of employment.
My bother was born in the States and has lived there all his life. His company gives only 10 days off a year, that includes sick leave and vacation time. I have worked all my adult life here in Switzerland and had sick leave separated from my vacation time. It's the law that the two can not be one. I had 4 weeks of vacation per year until I reached 50, then it was 5 weeks of vacation time. I have never regreted to have made the choice to come back to my country.
I've worked at some places where you only got 10 days of PTO (both sick AND vacation!) not 2 weeks. Might have built up to 2 weeks after a year or 2 I don't know. The rules for contractors and full time employers are sometimes different.
I think I take my bosses for granted. I think either of them would have been just as supportive, if not more! Here's to the people who get it that a happy worker does better work!
Kudos to them!
My last employer told me if I need time off like that (I've been diagnosed with generalized anxiety, social phobia, and moderate to severe depression) I needed to look into getting paperwork from Americans with Disabilities Act. My doctor filled out leave of absence paperwork to use. We need more companies to realize the importance of mental health.
I totally agree with you. I recently had to use my annual leave as a mental health break for one week. Everything got too much.
The problem is that every little thing is called a "mental health" issue these days. Who doesn't have some anxiety and stress in their lives for whatever reason? Good grief, I'm dealing with a major health family health crisis, I've been unemployed/under employed for years, and all the rest. I work from home as best I can. I don't get to "take a mental health" day. I work part time and I HAVE to get all the hours I can in order to pay my bills. Plus, I have to deal with the family situation. That's life for most people. They don't get a day off for "mental health." It really is getting ridiculous.
I think the core problem here is people still distinguishing between 'mental health' and 'physical health'. They are one and the same thing - the two are in such a clear feedback loop that trying to distinguish between them is senseless. Health is health and if you need to take time off to take care of your health then employers need to respect that.
To clarify - I agree with the employee's choice to take time off for her mental health, and applaud her honesty. I do not agree with those comments which try to imply that 'mental health' issues should not be considered 'health issues'.
For one, the medical industry is setup this way. You don't go to see a Dentist when you have depression. Bad teeth can affect your physical and mental health adversely. Medicine as a whole is highly ambiguous. I will say, from personal experience, mental health (anxiety) can and does affect your physical well being. That being said, taking off a month on a whim for de-stressing just would not cut it in the industry that I am in. Back to the Medical Industry and Law Enforcement, Fire, EMT, etc. Oh, I think I need to take a month off to de-stress. 1 team ember gone, for that long in any of these scenarios, just won't work.
Just got fired because of taking 5 days off for a very bad cold which I caught at work from other colegues too afraid to take days off for sickness. So, I will not imagine what will happen taking days off for mental health care.
That's so unfair. I don't know which country you reside in, but here in Australia, you can report the company to the Fair Work Ombudsman, and take them to court for doing that to you. I hope you find a better job soon.
These poor people live in the "Make America Great Again". That country is all about money and nothing about peoples well being. Of course also make wars through this planet.
good luck trying this bit if you're a man, or work at a job that actually requires you to actually DO anything. can guarantee the CEO of taco bell is not going to send you a personal tweet to congratulate you for taking a couple days off of taco-stuffing so you can bravely concentrate on "self-care", you lily white millennial buttercups.
It's today's snowflake society, I doubt the dishwasher at a diner gets days of for "stress" deal-59687...c69226.gif
Hahaha hilarious. And true.
I get it. I get the need to take a mental health day, but something about this whole thing is just so irksome. I may be a bit biased because this girl just LOOKS like she'd be obnoxious (why so many pictures of her, btw?), but her email and the fact that she sent it to her whole "team" gets under my skin. If you're taking a mental health day, don't do it like this.
That's what I was trying to get across in my wayyy-too-long post haha. Your last sentence sums it up; if you're taking a mental health day (which I really think should just be called a sick day, because that's what it is) then this isn't the best way to go about it.
I wonder if the response would have been as congenial (or come from the CEO) if she were in a non-technical position. As a developer, she is hardly expendable.
I am sure it would have been the same. You do realize he didn't have to write anything at all, but he obviously has a human side that pushed him to do so. I bet that that very human side would have made him feel the same towards any employee. Here's the problem in the workplace: insinuating comments from those who are envious when they witness efficiency, success and kindness in one single package.
and the slippery slope just got steeper
Don't worry in 10 years all employers will be required to give 10 mental health days a year to employees.
Lol, yep...you got it. Let's become more and more European every day! They obviously have it all figured out fiscally. We definitely need more government mandates here in the US too. Then listen to all the bitching when income taxes, sales taxes, and costs of goods and services go up, up, up! Yay team!
Doubtful. I work in public safety and that will never happen here. Who covers the truck if I can in on a "mental health day"?
the problem with that it's many... and MANY people will use that excuse even if they didn't need it.
If they feel the need to use it as an excuse perhaps on some level they did need it.
Yeah, Kjorn, fuck you! What are you, middle management in some pathetic corporation? Time off is up to the individual, you sad pathetic ass-kisser.
It's not a matter of "deserve" it's a matter of need. The word choice, to me, is telling. Mental health matters, and should be seen as a serious issue. Taking time off because you're not feeling mentally well is as necessary as taking time off because you're not physically well.
If a doctor says you need time off for mental issues then yes, it should come off your sick leave. If you self diagnose your mental health then I'm not so sure. "I'm not coming in today because I think I have malaria, I'm not going to get a second opinion you should just believe me"
As someone that suffers from mental health issues, I can attest to fact that most doctors, or at least the ones I can afford, have no clue on how to treat mental issues. They usually just prescribe some shitty meds that make me more sick. A year or two ago, I decided that whenever I feel some mental illness brewing, I take a day off from work, chill at home, smoke weed and play games. This has worked really great for me and actually allows me to be at work more often. Previously, I would have endured the agony until I land myself up in hospital and have to take an entire week, sometimes 2, in order to recover. FYI: Software developer here and if you're wondering why I can't just wait for weekend to chill... weekends are not chilled, weekends are for cleaning and taking care of life's admin, for being happy so that you don't make the people around you miserable thus making yourself even more miserable.
I agree...I think once people get the idea in their head, there will be "mental health" days taken all over the place. It's just too easy to take advantage of this one.
.....physically disabled and in a lot of pain) and I had one of the above flare up or cause me particular problems, I would call in sick, I wouldn't feel the need to specify exactly what was wrong, because mental health is just the same as physical health in terms of sickness. If you're ill (be it mentally or physically) then you're ill. Anyway, like I said, I hope no one misunderstands me, and that you get what I'm trying to say.
Yeah I agree. The fact that she referred to it as a mental health day seemed kind of odd to me, because surely you would just say "sick day"? She's obviously had a lot of mh problems, and her boss will be aware of that, so since mental health and physical health issues are both illnesses that could require time off, I don't get why there is a need to specify the difference when calling in sick. I hope no one misunderstands me, I'm certainly not saying that mental health should be hidden, and if someone has diagnosed mental health problems and are having a flare up or are really struggling, then they should be just as entitled to sick leave as someone who breaks a leg or has cancer. But as Jennifer says, people will likely take advantage of this (those who don't have mh problems I mean) and will see it as a way to have a rest and get "refreshed" as Madalyn put it. If it were me, (and I have had serious mental health problems, spent most of my late teens in hospital, and am now....
If it's a vacation day and it's requested in advance then who cares what you do with the time. If your calling out sick for mental reasons, who do you think has to cover your work load while you are out? Yup...your coworkers. Not a smart thing to do to them either.
not all jobs require someone to pick up your slack when you are out.
But there are plenty that do! Manufacturing? Public Safety? Healthcare? Truth is, if someone is out (regardless of the reason) and that spot has not been covered, and the tasks in question weren't exclusive to the person taking off, someone ALWAYS has to pick up the slack.
I am fully in support of mental health days for those of us truly affected by mental health issues. (I have bipolar disorder and BPD) However, I see people abusing it, saying with a laugh that they needed a "mental health" day. Maybe a doctor's note?
Nailed it.
I have what you have, and anxiety disorder, so I know exactly how you feel. I hope you heal soon.
Snap, although I strongly disagree with my BPD diagnosis cos I only have like 2 of the symptoms, but if I try and argue it with them, they accuse me of being hostile, which is one of the symptoms lol. So I've given up fighting it and am just carrying on with my life.
I think each full moon day should be a day off. It`s hard to work when I`m turning into a werewolf mentally.
LOLOLOLOL!!!
Good for her on speaking up, maybe that is her intent to bring awareness to the issue. But if you have time off to use, you really don't need to give context of why you are taking off.
As a manager I realize there are two options when it comes to employees. The question you have to ask yourself is do you want a stump that shows up to work or do you want a highly productive member of your team. I personally can't afford stumps so I encourage my folks to take a break if they need it... BUT not to abuse it! Some do of course but that is par for the course and can be dealt with separately.
I do believe in separating sick leave and vacation. They are two different categories that have nothing to do than both are days off. But the big question is still how honest are the employees in asking the sick leave. Real sick or real abuser of the trust of the company's kindness? I doubt that most are honest because I see it at work place often that colleagues report ill but actually were taking children to the park or shopping in town.
Everyone's mental health is different.. how many lives could be potentially be saved if right before someone snapped they were able to take a mental health day with no issues or questions... look at the big picture.
As an RN, the hospital I work at doesn't even require a reason fir call off unless it exceeds 3 shifts in a row. It does, however, request that we call each day, and give at least 7 hrs notice prior to start of shift. The amazing part of this policy: we actually still acrue PTO hrs ON THE PTO HOURS USED!!! First place I've ever heard of that.
Well that's because nurses are angels on earth and are the hardest working people I've ever seen. Seriously, you guys are amazing and deserve it.
Just as people are so open to talk about a flu we all should be open to discuss our mental health and ask for help. Good for her and her boss!
Yes, I agree! Some people are ashamed to discuss their mental health issues, and that's quite sad. Some people tell us to never talk about it, as have I from family and some people I met over the years. Why should I not talk about it? Me speaking up could potentially save someones life.
She should try working in India. We will see if she gets a leave on account of mental health.
Why exactly should she try that? Lol.
Definitely... I worked for a medical insurance company, ironically enough, and they were soooo corrupt... anyway, I had developed depression due to combined personal and work related stress. They refused to give me my lunch hour earlier in a day once a week to go for therepy. I cracked and was later fired because of it. IF they'd just let me go to my sessions, I believe it wouldnt have happened. Its better to be at home crying than to have to explain yourself in a work environment OR try to help customers with a face looking like you walked into a brick wall. Just saying...
I can't believe that they did that to you! That's so unfair! I hope you heal soon, and stick to your therapy sessions. This is coming from a person who's also seeing a psychologist every few weeks for the same reasons.
Thank you, Stacy Rae. I'm all good, just keeping my mental health in check. I had a complete breakdown for about 7 months. Having bipolar, BPD and anxiety disorder doesn't help. Especially when you lose someone close to you who is exactly the same age as you, unexpectedly. I hope you feel better soon too xoxoxo
Long Joan Silver. I hope you start to feel better soon. Coming from someone on disability party because of mental illnesses and a fellow Aussie. xx
Thanks, but I'm waaaay better now. This happened in 2013 and I've come a long way since then. I'm extremely happy with my life and luckily I have a great support system going, so the moment I recognise that deep, dark pit, I start talking. It's great to have someone in my life who's this supportive. He's an empath so he knows exactly how to get me out of the darkness once it strikes. Mental illness is no joke, but it's so much easier to deal with when you have someone you trust and whom you can rely on. The best of luck with your struggles. xxx
Human Resources department's first responsibility is to take care of employees. Physical or mental doesn't matter. Human is the most important production factor to all kind of businesses. And the most of our investments are on well educated team workers. Employers must be aware of it.
"Human Resources department's first responsibility is to take care of employees." What makes you think this? Are you just going by the name? As far as I can tell, in practice, their first responsibility is to protect the employer...
I was an HR Director for several years. Helping Panda is exactly right. You work for the employer and protect their rights. You are management. I was in a situation where there was a union, so I also had to enforce the collective agreement.
I agree with Tracey Martens. Know how I know this? Follow the money...it will almost always lead to the primary motivator. Most US states are employment-at-will, which means employees can be fired without cause. HR is trying to make sure the employER doesn't do anything illegal, unethical, immoral that could cost them money (think fines and lawsuits). Employees are a "resource", period. Like it or not, that's the truth. Yeah they still help employees with stuff like healthcare, EAPs, training, education, and career development. But it's all done ultimately to make the company better, smarter, and more profitable (excluding not for profits here). That's not necessarily a bad thing, because consumers and citizens generally benefit as a whole when businesses are successful. That some employees are treated "unfairly" or are collateral damage as a company grows is an unfortunate reality of business. That is the sterile, unfiltered truth.
Yes...and no. Absenteeism, high turnover rates and conflict because of bad working conditions are a concern to the employer as well.
Unfortunately, I would have to agree with you. But the name of the department is sort of deceiving...
Hahaha :)
What the boss did was amazing. Most bosses forget that we are incredibly stressed (talking about the average person right now) humans, rather than machines to be worked.
Employers must control costs. Tasks need to be completed on time and in budget. Teams must count on members to complete their part on time. Deadlines must be met. How do 'mental health days' contribute to any of that? In today's politically correct world it may not be acceptable to stand up for employer rights, but I will. During recovery from an accident in 1979 I have had 42 surgeries, many of them bone grafts and post-surgical infection-related, lost a leg, broke my neck, divorced, been buried by medical bills that drove me to bankruptcy and been diagnosed and treated for depression for many years. Unless I am in the hospital I go to work. I have for weeks on end worked with an IV bag hanging from my cubicle wall. When I retired and started my IT consultancy I employed six full-time and many contractors. I expect the same level of loyalty, attendance and effort from them that I gave my employer. If you can't do your job dependably get another.
Agreed. Employers should try to accommodate to a point, but ultimately the employee needs to do his job or move on.
There are a lot of comments on here calling this a luxury entitlement, that if this were a national policy requirement, workers would take advantage, and that since so many people have it worse how dare she use this incredible benefit with the support of her boss and co-workers. The US has one of the best work ethics of all the work forces in the world, and I say that both from data and experience. We deserve some of the perks that are enjoyed in our peer countries; imagine what our amazing work force could get done if we benefited from preventative care and stress reduction on a national level? Calling this lazy is the wrong attitude to have here. We've been working hard for generations to line the pockets of those who are rising above us in a widening class divide, without any of the huge advances in the base living wage, benefits, and family care that are enjoyed in most other countries of similar development/wealth.
Although I generally disagree such policies or accommodations (abused), you do make an eye-opening and compelling point. Very well said.
A company I worked for allowed its employees 4 additional annual leave days a year for what they termed 'duvet days'. We could, if we felt it necessary, take a days annual leave if we were to wake up one morning and feel so drained of energy that the very thought of getting up and ready for work was exhausting and a day under the duvet to recharge our batteries and rest our brains would guarantee a fresher, whole version of ourselves again on return to work, we were encouraged to take a 'duvet day'. To be honest, most people took one or two of the four we were able to take if required. The fact we were acknowledged for the mentally draining roles we were undertaking made us feel like an understood and cared for workforce. It also encouraged honesty and openness amongst colleagues. It can only be a good thing to support your staff in the way the CEO chose to and will have increased the level of respect his employees already will go have had for him.
When I need a mental health day, I just cal in sick with "anal glaucoma," because I can't see my ass going to work that day.
Why on Earth do Americans want to be more like Europe? America is awesome for a lot of reasons. Work ethic is a big one. That being said, vacation and sick days are over in the same if you're a business owner. Either way, the employee isn't there, so just call them out of office days. Who cares what they use them for?
Amen!
some employees are lazyass. her boss knows her and some boss knows their employees. so it depends on the person performance in their work really.
I think the boss's response sounded a little bit sarcastic. "Every time you do... bla bla bla." So it's not a one-time thing. She took it as a positive response and it went viral and the boss sounds like a prince, so it all turned out positive. IMO
I once took the afternoon off for Yankee opening day and my boss was fine with it. Be honest and make sure all your work gets done.
MY BOSS NEEDS TO BE IN AN INSTITUTION
I pay into benefits off every check and sick pay is part of them. Bank has over 500 hours available in it but if you don't bring a note you don't get paid. But health care in Alberta is on a budget and the emergency rooms are cramped with horrific wait times but please while you feel like garbage go to the ER for about 6 hours to bring back a note that says you didn't feel well.but if you really hate that idea come to work not at your best and when they notice you are having trouble keeping your shit together they will send you home because you are to ill to be there and it will pass to other employees. And if you want to be paid for your remaining hours go get a sick note. ovay Did I mention I WORK IN HEALTH CARE!!! Anyone who has taken leave for mental health issues within my area of work were slowly passively forced out and continually questioned if they are capable of doing the job or being told that they don't think they were ready to return and sent back on leave.
Too much stress can lead to mental health issues and those stresses often start from work related problems so of course we should all be able to take a "mental health day" off without stigma.
I have depression and take medication to help manage it but I think why most employers don't do this is because a majority of people would abuse it like people do FMLA.
This is amazing.
I think people need more paid vacation days in the US!!! Or if people need a sick day, they should just take a sick day. Who cares if it's mental or physical health or both that is affected? To me, the whole thing seems slightly weird and attention seeking.
Pretty hard to run a business if people can just come and go as they please. Eventually the work has to get done, so the business has to decide whether to: (a) do nothing and let output and quality of services/products suffer and the morale of other employees suffer, leading to THEIR OWN mental health issues and absenteeism (snowball effect here), or (b) hire more people to cover for the absenteeism. In (b), the patients/clients/customers end up paying for those additional costs. Most businesses can't afford to add headcount ad infinitum. They have a responsibility to return profits to the owners/shareholders. If they don't, the owners look elsewhere to put their money. (Yes there are some greedy SOBs owners everywhere who seek exorbitant profits and don't give a chit about their employees. Screw them.
I appreciate how open they both are.
What a compassionate boss,to truly understand her needs.More bosses could learn from him.
Some jobs do give us mental exhaustion or stress, I don't see any problem taking a couple of days to rewind.
Mental health is rather more important than physical well-being.... a person with physical illness can still work because the drive force is working in the desired manner. Whereas in mentally unbalanced state, it’s not possible to focus... forget about the productivity.
As long as every working citizen in the country does, than hell yea i am all for it. If it were something made mandatory for just officer workers i would be against it.
Yes
Last company I worked at had a great method. Instead of calling them sick days. They called them personal time off days. This way the company acknowledged that there were days people needed to take off whether it was because they were sick, had to do some personal business, or just needed a mental break from the stress. Best of all it was paid .
I think its fair. I've got a team of 6 that work for me. Two days ago one of them had a real shitty day, he couldn't take it of as I really needed him so he just smoked a joint to relax and cracked on with it . Personally I don't smoke dope but for some people thats what they need to unwind so its important to let people do what they think is best for them!
The job I just got let go from, I got only 3 sick days and 5 days vacation a year. Its the worst I've ever gotten. I burned through those sick days in the first part of the year thanks to my co-workers sharing and had a cold for 2 months that I couldn't stay home to take care of.
Big problem where I work if using vacation time for mental health time, you have to plan that mental health time 2 weeks in advance. Not so with sick time.
i think @movntainwoman should be a little more hesitant to advertise on social media that she lied about her reasons for sick days . that kinda thing gets back to employers really quickly. i worked at a place where girl called in sick. later on that day posted pics while at the beach. needless to say she had a rude awakening next time she decided to come in
Maybe instead of looking at mental health days as "sick" days we should look at mental health days as "wellness" days.
Stop and think if all those people who walked into a factory or office and shot everyone, had been allowed a mental health day off ... hmmm... what do you think about that boss ? :)
I have been thinking about this since I read it. Normally I find myself arguing against the whole American wage-slave mentality that we have here in the states. But I think this can fall under the other side of the coin. I read her email. And I asked myself "if I hired a contractor to redo my home floors and received this, how would I react". And I have to say, I wouldn't be happy. I also wouldn't be happy if I were the co-worker(s) that had to cover to for her with no warning, as this email seems to indicate. I think what is missing is context. If she does have mental health issues, it's the same as being sick. If she's a regular person that's burnt out, then schedule some time off. But if she is just not feeling it that day, sometimes you need to suck it up and press on. I would rather see us work toward a shorter work week, better wages & benefits, and more time off than open the door to this slippery slope.
O yeah!
My wife was diagnosed with matastic breast cancer two years ago,she's still fighting and going,I've needed a few mental days too,and my boss has been great and realizes I've needed them
Tough one it can become a slippery slope.
Mental health day for an office worker.....Im a firefighter and a lead medic, the stuff I see at work are unimaginable at times, and if I called in and said I needed a mental health day, I would be suspended.....and I'm pretty damn sure I need mental health days more than people in normal professions. So kudos to her CEO for understanding the human element involved in his corporation, and not treating his employee like a number and nothing more.
I guess it's OK if the CEO emails his customers with a "Sorry we can't fulfil our contract because we had too many mental health days off".
I literally saw a co-worker have a horrible break down because of stress right on the job. So my answer is: If you need to take a day or two to keep the sanity...TAKE IT!
I can no longer work but in the past I've left 'depression' off when applying for jobs because no employer would of employed me otherwise
I do think it's wise for a company to treat mental health the same as physical health. The problem is see is that claiming you need a few sick days for your mental health is harder to check than actually being ill and therefor it will be more prone to people faking it.
When I need a mental health day, I just call in sick with "anal glaucoma," because I can't see my ass going in to work that day.
Yes, yes, we all agree mental health is important. Problem is it's become a punchline and is way too easy to abuse. You can literally use it for any absurd reason to take time off work, and god help anyone who dares question you, since "mental health" is not to be questioned. Late night on Netflix? I need a mental health day. Gotta catch up on filling out warranty cards? Yep, mental health day. Need to rearrange your sock drawer or replace all the light switch covers in your house? You guessed it...mental health day. YAY MENTAL HEALTH!!!! Sadly, the 10% who may genuinely need it will often be met with skepticism because of the 90% who would abuse it. How about just handling your business on your own time and do your job, buttercup? The one you are PAID to do. Most of these companies are for profit organizations...they are not intended to be havens for social experimentation. If you're really "sick", just go to the doctor or call in sick.
What people are missing here is, vacation is PLANNED time off (usually)...and it's USUALLY spent with others for FUN (which is for mental health as well), but SICK leave is for acute, usually unplanned emergency situations...or appointments for doctors visits. THAT is the fundamental difference. And mental health sick days are NOT vacations. They are not fun. They are, at best, recuperative...like when you are recuperating from the flu.
I would get 4400 passive aggressive emails and 39 passive aggressive phone calls.
Glad she didn't get 40 passive aggressive phone calls and emails.
That's great that it works in their particular situation. In my situation, it really hurts the whole system and the customers when someone is out sick. A month for de-stressing? Give me a break. I would say, if your job causes you that much mental grief, perhaps it time to find a new job? Not every industry can work like this. Hell, web development can be done from home.
Absolutely! I don't think there should be a separation between mental health and physical health issues. Both contribute to an employee's performance. Too bad most insurance companies and employers disagree on this. I congratulate your boss and his ability to see the need for mental health days. Very progressive and supportive... you are very fortunate to have this guy as your boss!
Actually i do, but only with fantastic employees, if she/ he manage to use this to stay at home everytime she/ he wants and not working really good, i will not be that patient.
I work in the SUD/ MH fields. These are DEFINITELY not the same. In a MH program you have a regimented schedule. On vacation it's your choice. PPL that link them obviously don't understand. Society might catch up to the reality of this...
We do NEED days off 4 mental health - we constantly output but never INPUT! If we get a virus we get sick days. We are not just 'body' - we are MIND & body! The mind needs attention, care & a break too just like anything else. "Maintenance mode' He is truly an unusual employer!
I personally suffer from severe anxiety and depression, and I have a high stress job. I take days off for mental health when things get really bad because I literally can't function if I don't. When I have pushed myself too hard in the past, I've suffered anxiety attacks at work. My boss knows all about my afflictions, and he supports me taking time for myself when I need it. Every company should recognize anxiety as a legitimate excuse to take time off as mental health days. I know in CA, anxiety and depression are protected by companies as a disability and are given the same consideration as someone with Autism, etc.
The CEO's answer seems deeply sarcastic to me. But that's just me.
The difference between a vacation and sick leave is that vacation is used to decompress from stress and sick leave is to get much needed $$ back because of missed hours due to sickness-mental or physical.
Standart in my company The Human Psyche is Saint for me and untouchable !! We all have take care of the mental health of each others!!!!! WEll done !!
Panda changed and I am disappointed. A few years later it was eautifl page with lot of ideas and DY things and now it it more more this click on surprising posts. What is the message of this post anyway? Girl took two days of and boss replied that is ok. Story of the century. Please be as before!
Look at the conversation this generated. I don't think your wish is going to be granted ;) .
My company had "PTO" Paid Time Off. You didn't have to declare if you were sick or on vacay, but if it was unplanned and longer than 4 days, you needed a dr's note.
Gotta keep on, keeping on, Donna 😊
yaaaas! mental health is very important! people can sometimes die of depression and anxiety.
Vacations are for Pleasure. They may indeed be beneficial for mental health as well as physical health, that statement is made in error however.
I just saw a bumper sticker that said "24-7 CEO". That guy is totally dying at 50 of an unspecified cause and leaving his partner to care for their kids. Because they always have kids and a beleaguered partner. It's like "How many people can I drag down with me?"
I suffered for years from chronic depression. Finally, my psychiatrist, had me admitted to a local mental hospital facility for six months. When I came back to work I found out that my supervisor had searched my desk for evidence that I had 'planned all this' and was faking it to get a holiday. I had mentioned to him about 10 months before that someone had tried to sell me 'disability insurance' and what a rip off it was. He was looking for that documentation (needless to say I hadn't bought it) to prove I was faking it. Who fakes depression so they can get admitted to the nut house?? What an asshole that man was. So were my coworkers who thought the same thing.
Wow that is awful. Did you report him? I can't believe anyone would think that someone would plan to get admitted to a psych unit. I don't know what it was like for you , but for me, my time in the psych unit was the most traumatic thing of all! I saw horrendous things, was treated horrendously (I still have nightmares about it now, nearly a decade later) and seriously, people in prison have more privledges and are treated better than we were in that unit. It's not like it's some luxury health spa where people go to "relax" and "replenish", it's hell. I almost think your employer should have been forced to try it for a week and see how it was totally NOT somewhere you'd plan to go!
I never would have thought of it this way but I get it! Vacations can be hectic, take a while to plan or at least give you adrenaline even if they are good for brains to have new experiences. A mental health day or half day just to get away from people that cause you stress is totally different. It doesnt have to be "later suckers!" It could just be "Ugh, can I just rest for a bit?"
At my last job (before I went freelance and then started my own company), there *were* no sick days. If you were sick or needed a mental health day, you took vacation time, or it was unpaid. We were encouraged to stay home if we were ill, so as not to infect others, but not given any days beyond our vacation days to do it - and vacation days were no more liberal than most companies, so there weren't even extra vacation days to help cover illness. This led to people still coming to work sick, because they were out of vacation days (or didn't want to use them) and didn't want to stay home unpaid.
You understand boss was tongue in cheek and was scolding her.
Trying to get any support for mental health issues, other than from doctors, is so difficult. My issues mean I am unable to work, and yet I'm having to get evaluated, and justify my problems, to stop the government forcing me into looking for a job, when they won't take me with my issues, and I'll get even worse from the constant rejection, and mis-treatment from the people in charge. I lost my last job from a combination of mental and physical ill health, because they had no idea how to make it easier for me to do my job. Any suggestions I made were met with "it's not possible." I would love a boss who was open to mental health days. Stress is the cause of a huge number of sick leave requests, and taking a day to refresh the mind can make the world of difference to your physical health as well.
I think if given the opportunity, people will take advantage of any excuse to get out of a day's work, this is unfortunately one of those ways and it makes it nearly impossible to be sympathetic to those that need this kind of time.
Why do we have to call it sick leave? Why can't we call it "wellness days". To take a sick day is to take care of our physical health. What do we call taking care of our mental health - which, if not taken care of, will absolutely lead to physical problems??? With repeated/frequent down turns in the economy the employees are repeatedly asked to do more and more and they are burning out quicker. We need to refine what sick days are and call them wellness days instead.
Nope...no mental health days, per se. Figure out how to include your own personal health days in your sick time or vacation.
...really? her boss is a dumbass, that's referred to as malingering
The Fortune 500 company I worked for gave PTO (paid time off) that is calculated by the number of years you have worked for the company. I had 5 weeks of scheduled PTO every year to use as I pleased. Mental health, vacation, sick leave under 3 days. Any sick leave leave over 3 days needed the obligatory Dr. note or, for more serious illness, STD (short term disability) or FMLA (family and medical leave act). I could rarely use all of my PTO so carried over the maximum allowed of 40 hours every year. The rest would be lost, unfortunately.
I imagine that if your a hard working employe and a real asset to your company then your boss won't think your trying to get one over on him/her! Also there are other ways to improve your mental health! My company (Life Leadership) produced an app called Rascal Radio its like Pandora but is full of personal and professional development! I have found this to be one of the best ways I'm working on my own mental health as well as getting around a community of positive thinkers.
I requested a mental health sick day at my previous job. My manager seemed understanding, but when I returned to work the following day and a member of staff from another department was off sick, my manager made a 'joke' about how a depression bug must be going round. She said this to someone else but whilst stood right next to me. It made me feel awful and didn't exactly encourage me to be that transparent in future. It's a shame not all employers are as supportive as this one.
seems to me she should not have been referencing your health off hand like that with another employee, mental or physical. At my last job that would be a problem.
Considering today's climate and the value of money given the a'hole in charge, I'd say we should be allowed 5 mental health days per month by law. Workplaces that chastise for it should be heavily scrutinized and even penalized if it's found that the employee were terminated as a result.
How about working for a place who decides to call your housing development to check on your reason for calling out when it's your 3rd one in 7 months?! Unfortunately I work in an at will state so they can fire for any reason or no reason at all. They run unethically & show favoritism. Love the job I do ans a hard working employee but it's really a smack in the face when uniform rules are not followed. And the Hr person is a complete joke. Clearly the place I work has been living in a bubble.
I have to ask... how would you guys feel if on the 3rd day in 6 months you call off, your job calls your housing complex to verify reason for said call off? Wish all places were as respectful of their hard working employees. Mine however likes to make sure you're available on weekends & holidays, promise a flex time that is only for a select few (which?! Your guess is as good as mine) and run an uneithical game. Worst part... live in an at will state so they could fire me at any time for any reason or no reason at all. Boss doesn't like the fact that I don't socialize & get personal. It's a hard hit to take. Need the job, love the work, hate the flat out disrespectful actions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UwrmABnZmM&t=1s
I'm glad Madalyn, who works in a software company, has so much support from her colleagues. Together for a better Bitdefender and Kaspersky!
I get the same as someone previously mentioned... some pamphlets on "well-being" in the workplace.
Not sure what would be better - separate vacay and sick leave. PTO may help with confidentiality. I really don't want people to know why I am off work - none of their biz if I am on vac or sick! Certainly understand if it's being abused.
We had a sign that encouraged us to call in sick....but the boss would call that afternoon "Theres no one able to cover your route...."
Meanwhile I take off bc of a fever and the next day my boss is all "the tasks weren't done since you were gone" ... sorry I was sick?
I did this a few weeks back. I said that I had a friend coming down to Melbourne from Queensland (which was true); but what no one realised was that I really needed a break from everything. My mental health has been all over the place. Since I took that week off, I feel recharged. I wish that one day, a mental health break becomes standard across all companies. A lot of people need that, as things can get too much. Not just work, but life can do that as well.
Wow. That was brave. But delighted with the response. It'd be interesting to know if you had discussed MH with your employer beforehand.
I can't believe what cohen said. We don't have plenty of vacation days to take sometimes. It's nothing wrong to use sick days.
Why does the Great America not have normal laws concerningly sick and vacation time? The American government could be helped by the European governments to set up a proper law on separating vacation time from sick leave. Also if this strange government stopped make wars, money could be invested into more social services. Also if the big boss and owners of companies looked at how things are managed here in Europe they could also earn a bit less and give 4 to 5 weeks of vacation and sick leave that would be paid.
Good lord, there is so much wrong with your post it's hard to know where to begin. I'll just say this: who the heck do you think pays for all these grand social programs and government mandated leave policies? Yep. You and I do, either in the form of MUCH higher taxes or much higher costs for goods and services. There are no free rides, sonny boy. Someone has to pay for it in one way or another. How much do you pay in overall taxes in the "Great European" country where you live? I'm talking how much of your gross income is net disposable for you after all your taxes are combined? How much do you pay for gasoline? A gallon of mik? A loaf of bread? That's what I thought. EVERYTHING costs someone, somewhere, something. Yes, this includes mental health days or whatever you want to call it. Not saying we don't need them...I know I do from time to time...but let's not be naive, blind, or stupid and think there are no costs associated with it.
It is very hard all ready to admit that one suffers from some mental health problems, that these awful comments that the person should take the time off on their vacation are just ludicrous! I don't wish on anybody to have such health problems, but if those who judge where in the shoes of one who suffers from such illness for just one month, they who surely think otherwise... One does not choose to be ill. So those who have never been ill just feel lucky and happy that life has spared you, but don't you dare think you are better because of it. Life can change and you too might become also ill. How would you feel if others judged you????
So who do I contact to get a job at Madalyn's company? :)
So, wait, is she mentally unstable? Why not just take a sick day?
Ahh, yes a new name just for the precious snowflakes as they timidly enter the workforce! Normally, we call it playing hooky! Just think, I did it wrong for so many years by sucking it up believing others depended on me to do my job. Little did I know at the time that my employer's sole purpose for starting their business was just to give me a job!!
Some people actually have mental health conditions. Not everyone is emotionless like you. We actually need time out because otherwise we have no will to get out of bed.
Still not clear whether she suffers from an actual mental health condition or is just stressed out...
I'm taking a wild guess and saying she just wanted a couple of days off. People with real health issues, mental or otherwise, don't typicallysend mass emails to their coworkers about them, and REALLY don't try to get famous of off their illness by spreading it on social media.
And I'm going to take a wild guess and assume neither of you have ever suffered from major depression?
whata load of shit if i did this in my work place i would be laughed at.....if anyone done this to me i would shit on them grow up and get on with your job.
Try having a complete mental breakdown after years of suffering; to a point that you cannot function in and out of work, then you can speak. You think you know what it's like to have what a person like me has; bipolar, BPD and anxiety disorder? It's not! It's like having a demon living inside you, and it wont come out unless you've had weeks/months of therapy, and a few screaming matches. It's like living in complete darkness. It sucks the life out of you!
What you're talking about is different though... this girl seems like she just wanted a couple of days to stay home and watch Price is Right.
Ya all just should and move to the some of the third world countries such as Serbia is (it's a country in europe) and see what happens if u state something like this... :-)
But we aren't in a third world country. I hate to sound like a redneck, but this is America, so stop acting like it isn't.
Actually, this is the internet, so it represents the world. As in the World Wide Net.
By the way, to Dejan's comment below, I hate the Trumpcare plan, and Trump for that matter. I'm patriotic, not republican.
Good luck with your healthcare plan! Although i used to live in a Third world country, i wasn't worried what do to if i was feeling ill or worse... Now i'm living in a country that has at least 5 times bigger total population then USA and guess what... Healthcare here is also free... So long!
I've worked many jobs where getting physically hurt outside of work meant no more work until you were better. Construction, assembly etc. I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's an interesting debate for sure. It's something that would have to be on a case-by-case basis with the judgement being given by your immediate supervisor or someone more familiar with you and your situation than you being just an entry on a data sheet. It's not something that should be given equally to all.
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I guess it depends on what your mental health is like,if you're a complete fruit loop by all means take some time off to get unlooped
You wouldn't like to be called a "fruit loop", so why do you use that term to describe mentally ill people?
My apologies, that was 100% directed towards Mary.
Inappropriate comment to say the least. You need some education, seriously.
Bitch, you are a MAJOR part of the problem.
Are you referring to me or Mary? Lol
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Yes, it's called the weekend.
I take it you have never had major depression or anxiety? If you had, you would know that bouts can strike at any time.
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Ugly teeth btw.
Does that make you feel better about yourself?
Milo that's just fucking sad
Yes. It does. It's my therapy. Please respect it.
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No. Suck it up buttercup.
Wait until you get so depressed that you can't function properly, then we will talk. You wouldn't like the term "suck it up, buttercup". When you're that mentally ill, it's impossible to just suck it up. Once your mental health is affected, your personal/social life is affected, then your work is too.
Jimmy Rustled, if you're referring to mentally ill people as "weak", then you have no idea. In fact, the mentally ill are the most strongest people you'll ever meet. They put up with a lot of crap. How do I know this? Because I am one of those "weak" people. I have bipolar, BPD, and anxiety disorder, and suffer from major panic attacks that are paralysing. I still work full-time, and do my acting on the side and hardly take any breaks. I accumulated so much leave this year, that I decided to take one week off to have a mental health break. My family went through a lot of stuff over the last 12 months, after losing four family members. Yes, work can get a bit much, but also life outside of work can affect you and your ability to mentally and emotionally heal.
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nope..only the weak the problem here is survival of the fittest is being removed from our species and the weak are breeding... look around
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If you are considering taking a day or more off work because of mental health issues it can be understandable. You might be feeling overworked or down. To me however it's just not a good excuse. I have enough time in my week to refresh out of work so this may be different as with many people. I like to exercise often, eat healthy, balanced and get plenty of rest. For me if I wanted to take time off for mental health I would think it's a reason to not be at a place that I probably don't want to be at that badly. If I weren't in the best mood but really liked my job I'd still want to show up. If I found myself in such a situation then I would perhaps consider looking for another job, if that's possible, because whatever work type and amount I'm at now seems like the upper limit of what I'm willing to handle.
Being overworked/down, is completely different to being so mentally unwell, to a point that you feel as though you're going to just have a mental breakdown. It's good that you have time to get rest, and get exercise and eat well. I applaud you for that. Some of us just haven't got the time. I suffer from bipolar, BPD and anxiety disorder. In the last 12 months, we lost 4 family members, and everything in between got too much to a point that I was screaming everyday to let it all out. Eventually, I used my annual leave as a mental health break. I also do acting on the side, so I really don't have the time to just relax.
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im sorry I relay hope this is a joke. a disabled person who relay wants to work but has been put on the medical register of unavalibity to work due to them having downs syndrome or autism or other disability's including solders with PTSD " real stories" it is morally repressible for anyone to calm days off for an undefined mental illness. I believe that disabled people are treated appallingly in this country and by taking days off for UNDIFINED mental illness your employer should sack you and employ one of them they will be hugely more grateful and a shit lot more reliable even when suffering with far more than just stress and depression
I do agree that the disabled in any country are treated unfairly; but telling a mentally ill person that they should be sacked because they took a day off to look after themselves, is totally uncalled for. I'm guessing that you've never been depressed before, right? If you have, then you should be ashamed of yourself. Some people can deal with their mental illness, others can't. Sometimes, we need a few weeks off to sort it out. I know this because I have bipolar, BPD and anxiety disorder. I work full-time, hardly take any days off work, do acting on the side and I see my psychologist every few weeks. My mental state this year has not been the best, that's why I'm in therapy at the moment; and took a week off work a few weeks ago to keep myself sane. That's the only break I had this year.
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whata load of shit if i took time off my work for the same reasons i would be laughed at and i would shit on anyone that done it to me.......grow up and get on with it
(Hey. Asshole. Some people have mental health issues. Don't be an insensitive bastard.)
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Well if work is stressing you out that much, find another job. Better yet, don't work. Is this nation becoming so sensitive that everyday matters stress people to the breaking point? Raising children is also stressful, do we need to take mental health time off from that? Is it paid time-off? Can I get insurance for being a parent? Yes folks, I am being sarcastic. Society just needs to grow-the-hell-up.
You are very insensitive to people with mental health issues. I hope you meet someone one day who opens your eyes. Also, how is "not working" an option for anyone except the very rich? You are clueless about the real world.
Wow! "Find another job, or don't work". Umm, how will us sufferers pay for our psychologist sessions? And, yes, I have bipolar, BPD, and anxiety disorder. I have a full-time job, and hardly take any time off work. The only time off I had this year was when I took a mental health break from my annual leave to keep my mental health in check. Other than that, I hardly stay home, I work hard, I also do acting on the side. How can you compare mental illness, to being a parent? Being a parent is a responsibility, not an illness.
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Only a woman could keep her job and be this coddled.
Good lord, I thought you people went away when women got the vote. Fuck you.
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yeah, I was thinking the same thing...the majority of comments are by women....and then they wonder why men are hired over women in high stress, high pay jobs...
Are you serious right now? Wanna know why men die younger? Because you're too fucking cowardly to admit that you may be sick or have a mental issue. Get over yourselves.
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And what if the employer him/herself takes a mental health day ? Are you OK with not getting paid for those times ? I don't think so ! Owners have a business to run ! Few people FEEL like going to work when the alarm goes off, but are into it once they arrive. And I DON'T like the way she called off--er, emailed off--THAT morning. Not much work ethic there. I vote NO to mental health days off.
Well, let's wait until you suffer so badly from mental health issues, then we will talk! I had to take a week off due to a mental breakdown, but took that leave from my paid annual leave as I have accrued a lot of leave as I hardly take days off. I have bipolar, BPD and anxiety, and everything got too much. I work full-time, I do acting on the side, and I've had those illnesses for 14 years. It's like living in hell with the things I have. Sometimes, you can keep it under control, sometimes you can't and need to have a break from everything, and to get professional help.
Your problem is that you think of work as work. Instead, you should think of work as THERAPY! Are there not times when you're simply too busy to be depressed ? Of course ! Then you need to thrust yourself into a high-energy business which will dramatically reduce your BPD, the term you use so lovingly. You might benefit from getting people around you to sympathize and obviously can't handle a constructive solution. You're like the freeway offramp begger holding a sign that reads, "Will work for food" when all they really want is money. Admit it--all YOU really want is to be "sick" with the "BPD" that you so lovingly embrace. Stop being a blight on society and become part of the solution for people like you. And btw (since you like those acronyms so much), employers are not in business to support your "poor me" habit !
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I should never become a boss coz mois reply would be "are you nuts??" (followed by a jk, take all the time u need)
You will never be a boss because you can't even spell half the words in that sentence correctly
Also it should be I will never become boss
Wow! Just, wow! Your insensitivity is just shocking! I hope you never get mentally ill, otherwise, what you say to people, will be said to you. It's called karma.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jk
I CAN'T believe the comment that compares vacation to "mental health needs". Sure you go on vacation to get relief from stress, but do ppl really still ignore the difference between stress and depression? Unbelievable.
Yes they do. As well, Ppl think a mental health day is an excuse for "retail therapy". When one suffers from an illness like depression or anxiety the last thing you want to do is go out shopping!
If you are ill, you should not come to work, and that is strongly in the interest of the employer. What might be misleading in her quote is the "refreshed", which might make people think that "mental health issue" equals "being a bit worn out" and refreshing means "taking a day on the bright side of life". The boss' attitude is not really surprising though, if she works in an environment of agile software development. Typically, the people are not seen as "human ressources" in such a context but respected for their contributions.
Couldn't agree more.
Are they usually relaxed about deadlines as well ?
Yes and no: if you truly develop in an agile way, you will have increments of the working software product that get closer and closer to what the customer expects. However, this requires an agile customer as well. If you combine agile development with classic contracting, classic deadline problems might still arise, although there are strategies to counter the resulting stress (such as timeboxing).
For us Germans this concept is iust so strange. Depending on your employer ou have 5-6 weeks (legal min-max) vacation per year and when you are sick, you are sick. Your doctor decides and writes a note.
Most companies in the US only give 2 weeks' paid vacation per year, and that often only starts AFTER you've been with the company for a full year. It also used to be common to additionally have 5 sick days per year, but many companies now do not offer this and instead have you use your vacation time towards being sick. They often require a doctor's note if you don't put in for time off in advance. On top of that, supervisors and managers will often criticize workers for taking sick days, and sometimes even for taking vacation days. It is a really messed up system here!
While the German system is exploitable (there undoubtedly are some lazy people who are on good terms with their doctors...), a good share of holidays and especially sick lead to a much higher productivity. And I think for the society it is much better if people work very hard 40 hours a week and have time off after that than if they work 60 hours are week, mostly being bored during that time.