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Help asking for time off.

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FauxLiz

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I am preparing to go inpatient and I am struggling with how to ask my employer for the time off. Everything that I have googled has you putting in the letter the exact reason for the leave. Honestly, as I work for a board in an organization that has no HR department I am reluctant to divulge that much information.

How have others asked for time off if you were still working? I am trying to get ahead of things so that I don't lose my job and I have been accepted into a program for just after the first of the year so now is the time to notify my employer I just can't figure out a safe way.
 
Hey! I was wondering where you've been! So glad that you are getting your inpatient time!

You don't have to be completely specific on a general request. Something like...
My doctor has determined I will need inpatient ptsd treatment from date-date
Or
On the advice of my medical team I will be attending residential treatment from date-date for ptsd
will work

They may ask for your doctor to give them a prognosis - like "it is expected that after a 6 week treatment program the employee will be expected to return to full duty" or whatever

If you are falling under ADA accommodations you have to give a bit more details, but you don't have to give away your soul. For example, when asking for the accommodation to bring in a service dog I used something like....

having a service dog allows me an exit from meetings or classroom environments that become overwhelming. I can tell people he needs attention outside of the room without causing a disruption in the training

What I have, what I need, how it benefits them.
 
@Freida thank you for the input. I have been rather quiet the last couple of weeks. There was a part of me I think that had hoped they would turn me down saying I didn't need intensive inpatient support so this has been hard. I have talked to both of my kids and while me t would like for me to leave sooner rather than later at times I get frustrated as he can't seem to understand the challenges of being a single parent without a support network and what has to be put in place to do this.

I was hoping not to have to reveal the ptsd and the inpatient treatment to my employer as there are a few busybodies on the board that don't quite understand confidentiality.
 
I was hoping not to have to reveal the ptsd and the inpatient treatment to my employer as there are a few busybodies on the board that don't quite understand confidentiality.

double check the ADA rules. If I remember correctly they could only release the information to HR and my director. Everything else fell under HIPPA. so if the busybodies do talk you have a recourse.
 
I was hoping not to have to reveal the ptsd and the inpatient treatment to my employer as there are a few busybodies on the board that don't quite understand confidentiality.

You don't have to disclose the medical reason for taking medical time off, you just need a doctors note stating that you need medical leave for x number of weeks... And the accompanying paperwork.

My experience = Hiya Laurie (HR), I'm going to be needing to take a few weeks off to attend to a medical issue... Here's the letter from my doctor outlining the time expected. They've got me on their schedule starting X-Day, so I'll probably want to make Y day my last day before going on leave. Is there any paperwork I could get together for you, to make your job easier, or make things go more smoothly?

It's human to query what it's about / for, even if technically illegal for them to ask in most cases. So I always took the human approach of answering in a way that reassures them both professionally & personally... My party line is in bold, and then I would add personal notes just to "include" people, soothe feelings ...without actually volunteering any details.

It's serious, but I should be fine. It's not something I really want to talk about,

- but I just really have to be proactive now, and am working with some really great specialists. I'm actually really thrilled they were able to get me in their calendar so quickly! Again, though, I should be fine.

- but thank you so much for asking! I always appreciate how caring and thoughtful you are.

- so if you could help me out & remind people who mean well, but don't know any better, that medical info is confidential? It would be a huge favor. Thanks, hon, you're the best!

Etc.
 
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@Freida strange question but which doctor did you have write the note? My t is a Psy.d so he is a doctor just not a "medical" doctor. It would be a toss up which I would NOT want to write it between my psychiatrist and my GP. So can my t write the note?
 
@Freida what do you think of this?
I am writing to request a medical leave of absence due to a serious health condition that I have been diagnosed with. Due to my illness, my doctor has advised me to seek a medical leave from work and expects that I will be unable to return to work for four to six weeks or longer, depending on my response to treatment and recovery progress. I will be happy to have my doctor submit a medical certification form to verify the need for leave. My anticipated last day of work is December 29th.

 Please let me know what additional information is needed in order to process this request. I greatly appreciate your assistance with this important matter.
 
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So that was a weird part of that situation. I have two Ts. one is a licenssed mental health something or other and the other is a social worker something. (yea -- social worker who specializes in therapy and she rates above the mental health gal. Not sure I understand how the whole hierarchy works)
Work wouldn't accept anything from mental health one for anything. FMLA and ADA had to be from the social worker, and the disability folks wouldn't accept anything from her - it had to come from the psychiatrist. Talk about chasing my tail!

@Friday I used similar statements to most of the people I worked with, but the HR folks got to ask way more intrusive questions because I was asking for an ADA work accommodation to bring the dog in. It was really surprising - and embarrassing. But when I took time off it was just the mental health folks. weird
 
I like it!

I am writing to request a medical leave of absence due to a serious health condition that I have been diagnosed with. Due to my illness, my doctor has advised me to seek a medical leave from work and expects that I will be unable to return to work for four to six weeks or longer, depending on my response to treatment and recovery progress. I will be happy to have my doctor submit a medical certification form to verify the need for leave. My anticipated last day of work is December 29th.

 Please let me know what additional information is needed in order to process this request. I greatly appreciate your assistance with this important matter.


I think I might make it just a bit shorter ..

My doctor has instructed me to request a medical leave of absence for 4 to 6 weeks to address a serious medical concern. I will be happy submit medical certification form to verify the need for this leave. My anticipated last day of work is December 29th.

 Please let me know what additional information is needed in order to process this request. I greatly appreciate your assistance with this important matter.​


That way it shows right up front it is under your doctors instructions and if you can come back in 6 weeks you are good. If not you don't have to cross that bridge till you get there. Plus I'm a big fan of less words = less chance for misunderstanding.

@Friday thoughts?
 
My doctor has instructed me to request a medical leave of absence for 4 to 6 weeks to address a serious medical concern. I will be happy submit medical certification form to verify the need for this leave. My anticipated last day of work is December 29th.

 Please let me know what additional information is needed in order to process this request. I greatly appreciate your assistance with this important matter.

Winner! :tup:
 
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