How Do I Cover Up My Weekly T Appointment At New Job?

[Newbie]

I am starting a new job on Monday, this is basically my first proper job in my area of expertise.

I will have to leave at 5PM to make my weekly T appointment. I am really worried about how I can explain this to them. I am working in a journalistic company, and in that profession you are expected to be ready to work long hours and unusual hours. I have no issue working weird hours, only just on a Monday I am unavailable 5-7 because of therapy and commuting to the clinic.

It's gonna be my first day on the job and something tells me I'd be expected to be around until 6. It will look bad if I make an unexpected and early departure on day 1 and I will need to make them aware that:

1) Monday at that time doesnt work
2) But I can work pretty much any other hours

I don't want to tell them that I am seeing a therapist because they will assume that I have chronic depression or anxiety and I don't. Admittedly, I have had both at times, but I rarely have big issues with them when I actively go to therapy. Therapy is a sort of insulin for me.

So...what excuses do you use? How do you get around it? I need to tell them that I have a important weekly appointment that can't be moved without a very good reason but I dont want to say it's therapy.

 

[ihateusernames]

It probably would have been best to tell them before your start date that you might have a schedule conflict on Monday evenings. Either way, I think "important weekly appointment" is plenty of information- if the company is at all flexible. If that doesn't cut it you might want to speak privately with the HR manager and see what can be arranged. Granted, I have never had to leave work for a therapy appointment, I've never been questioned as to what kind of "appointment" I was going to when I needed to get off work for something else.

 

[Springer80]

I've been in a similar situation. Just say you have a fixed appointment on a Monday. You will of course work your expected hours per work and more if necessary but not at that time.

You don't have to justify it, or elaborate. If they push you and you feel you must just say it's a medical appointment. They have no right and you have no obligation to say anymore.

 

[Neverthesame]

I'm not sure what country your in but, in the UK, US, Canada. You are not required to tell your employer anything about your health, unless your health issue poses a direct danger to other people ie; contagious disease.

In other words, none of their damn business.

That being said, telling your employer that you are always available to work to get hired, then changing your availability day one, is seen a as poor etiquette, and a tad rude. It's not the end of the world, or the worst thing new employees do. Dishonesty is never a good first impression.

The only other thing I can think of that your employer may do. This applies in Canada, maybe other countries as well, but I only know for fact, in Canada.
Because you were hired under the condition of being able to be scheduled anytime, your employer has the right to schedule you to work on the day your therapy is scheduled.You can still miss work to go to therapy, but your employer has the right to demand you provide a doctor's note to excuse your absence. You again are not required to provide details as to why you were out sick, but your employer is also not required to make up your missed hours on a different day. If your employer has a probationary period for new employees (most do), this could also be grounds for termination prior to your completing your probationary review. (This is how the dishonesty thing can bite you in the ass.)

Now, whether or not any of that happens is totally dependant on the personality of your boss. Most won't do that, but it would be within the employer's rights.

Whatever the case, I hope it goes well for you. Being employed is a big weight off anyone's shoulders. I am also not speaking from a personal annoyance, I just want to give you some information. Good luck.

 

[anonymous]

I say skip one week of therapy so that you don't have to cut out on your first day. Give it a week and then resume therapy on your second week. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and on your first day, you're definitely in first impression territory.

 

[Justin87]

Yeah I go to therapy every other Wednesday morning at 7, so I come in to work late that day. I told my boss I have a regular medical appointment. He hasn't asked any further questions.

 

[Friday]

I'm seconding devoting your first day on the job to the job itself. Rescheduling your standing therapy appointment to later in the week that week would probably be beneficial, anyway... Since all new jobs are stress, that would give you a day or three to collect that stress and then go in and vent it, and then your next appointment not even a whole week away.

As far as "what" to tell them? It's personal. Which means you don't have to say more than that. You have a commitment Monday evenings for 2 hours.

<grin> I'm rabidly against lying, but also have a rule : "Ask a silly question? Get a silly answer!" If people are silly enough to query me about personal time? I'm tutoring disadvantaged nuns. It's my broccoli anonymous support group. I'm on the parental advisory committee, it's quite explicit. You know catholic mass? It's exactly like that, but completely different. Schtupping Matt Daemon. :D Seriously. Personal means personal. If I'm working 60-80 hours a week? There are simply going to be times where there is some overlap.

 

[Newbie]

hi guys,

I'm in UK. I really don't want to give a cheeky answer, these people are nice people, just the stigma is too much and I don't want to appear like I have a lot of issues on the new job. I'll be honest and say I can't cancel as my T needs 3 days notice and I don't like going without the appointment, it keeps me sane.

 

[Suzetig]

If you're in the UK there's no need for you to tell them, just say you have a regular commitment on a Monday that means you need to leave at 5.00. Unfortunately there still is some stigma attached to therapy here so I understand your reluctance to share but you really don't need to if you'd rather not.

 

[blue.eyes]

I have the same issue. I don't know how people do this more than once a week.

I told my supervisor that I have a weekly medical appointment, and offered to come in early on the day that I have to leave early for my therapy appointment. For another employer, I said I had a weekly commitment. They both were ok with it. It is scary to ask.

In the US, you can use FMLA as taking two hours off work for a diagnosis is usually a reasonable accommodation. If I understand the law correctly, only human resources gets information about your diagnosis--your direct supervisor does not. If my boss said no, FMLA would be my backup plan. Fortunately, she was ok with my proposed arrangement.

Hope things work out for you. :hug: