Mental Health Day off Work?

[design_mom]

I have never done it. At my office, sick time and vacation time are tallied separately. I would definitely consider using a vacation day if I felt like I needed a day off, but I would have trouble using a sick day for it. Guilt would ruin any rejuvenating effects. (For what it’s worth, I do think that there are mental health issues that would justify taking a sick day, but I am fortunate not to have had one of those. My “mental health day” would just be because I need a break.)

I am torn on whether I’d like “paid time off.” Most years, I’m sure I would think it was great. (I have never used all my sick days.) However, one year my sister had a number of health problems and she missed a lot of work. She had to use her paid time off to cover it. By the time she was healthy, she had used up nearly all of her paid time off, and therefore had no “vacation time” at all for the year.

 

[m&m's mom]

I think it is not right/immoral to call in sick when you are just sick of working. Everyone knows that is not the reason for "sick time".
I have worked at my company for almost 20 years and have never taken a "mental health day"- that's what I get vacation for. I reserve a week of my vacation to schedule when I really feel like I need a break.
I have only called in sick for 2 days in 20 years though. I want to be known as reliable and take that very seriously.

We have sick time and vacation time.

Unless you've got a specific mental illness, taking a "mental health day" is a cheesy excuse for slacking. I don't do it, my husband doesn't do it, and my kids certainly aren't allowed to do it.

If I need a day off, that's what vacation days are for.

I agree!

And herein lies the issue: those who have vacation/sick time and those who have PTO (paid time off). My company went from the first to the second. It was specifically stated that once we went to PTO it was our time to take, without explanation and designation. We went from 20 vacation days, 9 sick days and 3 personal days (32 days total) to 28 days total. However, when you were using sick days in the old system, you would get called in to be spoken to about excessive use after the first 5 days, then after 7 and again at 9, which could affect your raise. Since going to PTO, you are allowed/entitled/encouraged to take all 28 days. No need to lie, hide, make excuses -- it's my time and I'm taking it. Now it goes without saying I schedule my time whenever possible. There are usually only one or two times a year I call in an unscheduled day.

I would be escatic if my company had PTO. I can't even bring any unused sick forward. I would have 20 years worth.
If you take a MHD you are still eavig your work for someone else to do in most situations. I could not do that unless it was an emergency, and if you r work is not all that urgent and can wait for you, you must be too stressed .

 

[aprilgail2]

I think it is not right/immoral to call in sick when you are just sick of working. Everyone knows that is not the reason for "sick time".
I have worked at my company for almost 20 years and have never taken a "mental health day"- that's what I get vacation for. I reserve a week of my vacation to schedule when I really feel like I need a break.
I have only called in sick for 2 days in 20 years though. I want to be known as reliable and take that very seriously.




If you take a MHD you are still eavig your work for someone else to do in most situations. I could not do that unless it was an emergency, and if you r work is not all that urgent and can wait for you, you must be too stressed .

LOL---I take off as much as I possibly can! We have to schedule vacation time in advance- I just pick NEXT YEARS vacation time last week....so now if something comes up that I need to do etc there is no changing vacation time so its call in sick time. As long as we call an hour before the start of the shift its no problem- they just call someone else to come in on overtime and cover your work. If my daughter is sick and I need to take her to Dr I call off sick....if there is something at school (like last year it was her graduation on a Wednesday mid-morning) I call off sick. I don't care if I am thought of as "reliable" etc....been there for 26 years so they mustn't think me to unreliable LOL. In all those years I have gotten 312 total sick days and I have taken 301 of them--- I have 11 left right now until Jan then get 12 more. Much of it was bug chucks- like 8 weeks having a baby, 12 weeks for a surgery, 16 weeks for a car accident etc....others were just a day or 2 here or there when I felt like taking them. They give us 12 sick days per year which carry over year to year, I sure don't want to see ungrateful and not use them LOL

 

[PrincessKsMom]

In my company we work in a "team" situation. I sit with another secretary and we cover each other. 9 times out of 10 they don't send coverage so one person covers both seats. We know that and we're all okay with that. One hand washes the other. As I previously said, I schedule my mental health days. Only once or twice a year do I call in unscheduled, and that's due to illness.

I do admit I'm a little put off at the notion that I'm "immoral" for calling out when I'm entitled to that time.

 

[LovableGluttons]

I was tempted this morning, but just couldn't do it. Instead, I just wore a mask all day and just croaked my way along.

I'm part of a rare breed at what I do. If I call I'm, my patients might not be seen by another nurse as we are all usually booked weeks in advance.

That's why I end up with too much PTO to roll over to the upcoming year.

My family would love for me to take the time off, but my patients and their families need me too.

At least it is really hefty job security.

After a 14 hour day with no food, no bathroom break, it's so good.to be home. Tomorrow morning we head to WDW for the weekend!

 

[tiggspring]

A colleague just called in today to take the day off impromptu for a "mental health day" day. She told me she felt fine, just wanted a day off without being too ill to enjoy it.

I have never done this. The idea actually intrigues me as I will have to burn some vacation time before the end of the year or lose it because my balance is too high.

Have you done this? Is it something we'll received by your employer?

Couldn't there be a more appropriate term for it that doesn't allude to being mentally ill?

I once worked with a loyal emplyee that worked for the hospital we were employed at for 15 years. He never used one sick day in all that time. They the hospital eliminated his position and with it took all 6months of his sick time and poketed it. Yep! most companies have to give you unused vactaion time but not sick time. After that DH and I always found ways to use sick time for our mental health or otherwise!