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Conquering a drug or alcohol addiction is a brave decision. You’ve decided that rehab is the best next step, , but worries about work might be holding you back.
“Should I tell my employer I need to go to rehab?” “What will they think?” ? “Can I get fired for going to rehab?” “If so, how will I find another job once I leave treatment?”
These thoughts and anxieties are common, but letting them win can be devastating.
Fortunately, there are ways to navigate this situation and prioritize your well-being without jeopardizing your career.
Let’s explore more about how to go to rehab without losing your job.
Should You Tell Your Boss You’re Going to Drug/Alcohol Rehab?
Despite common stereotypes, addiction isn’t just a problem for those who are unemployed. The reality is that about 20% of American adults with full-time employment struggle with past-year substance use disorder.
Because the effects of addiction are all-pervasive and can interfere with one’s performance at work, it’s important to address the issue before it impacts your job.
Substance abuse disorders are rarely a secret for long in a work environment. Colleagues may initially miss the signs of addiction, but subtle changes in behavior – even if unintentional – can raise red flags.
These changes might be difficulty concentrating, decreased productivity, or unexplained absences. Left unaddressed, these issues can lead to suspicion of addiction.
When deciding whether to tell your employer about going to drug or alcohol rehab, you must do some research beforehand on the company’s policies on drugs and alcohol in the work environment. If they don’t have one, check what the healthcare policy is for sick employees.
While you do not want to lie to your employer about your absence, it is best to approach the situation with wisdom to ensure that you maintain employment (to the best of your ability) while in rehab.
Fortunately, there are laws that protect people with substance abuse disorders from workplace discrimination, particularly from getting fired, as it is considered a disease and a mental illness. Therefore, knowing your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can help. This can inform you if you feel that you’ve been discriminated against when telling your employer about your addiction and file a charge of discrimination, if necessary.
Lastly, you may qualify for 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) if you are unable to report to work for medical reasons (including going to drug/alcohol rehab).
Knowing what you qualify for and what your rights are as an employee can empower you to have a more confident conversation with your employer about seeking treatment in a rehab facility. This knowledge can help alleviate some of the stress associated with this important.
How to Tell Your Boss You Are Going to Rehab
After researching your employee rights, take some time to prepare for the conversation with your employer. Here are some tips to help you feel less stressed before speaking to your employer about your addiction:
Be Prepared
As mentioned earlier, researching your rights as an employee will help mitigate fears about telling your employer you need treatment.
Be Honest
Even if your employer does not know you suffer from a substance abuse disorder, it is likely they already suspect something is going on with you. This could be due to diminishing performance on the job or other factors. Therefore, it is in your best interest to be honest about your struggles without feeling like you need to disclose every detail about the addiction. Typically, honesty will help the conversation go more smoothly.
Don’t Fear Judgment or Worry About Your Reputation
Substance abuse disorder can impact your work, but that shouldn’t deter you from getting the help you need.
Treatment can only strengthen your job performance upon returning to work. You’ll feel stronger, more focused, and ready to succeed. As such, you may be surprised by the support you find at work. Many people struggle with substance abuse disorder, and your boss or coworkers may be more understanding than you think.
Help Your Employer and Coworkers Prepare
Tie up any loose ends with work, if possible. Let others know about your absence so that you can prepare them for any deadlines they will need to adhere to when you are gone.
Address the Situation With Your Boss
It is best to discuss your addiction with your boss. However, if you feel uncomfortable speaking to your employer about drug or alcohol treatment, make sure to disclose that you will be taking a leave of absence for your well-being. Preparing your employer about your time away is essential to mitigate the potential risks of losing your job.
How to Keep Your Job Before, During, and After Drug/Alcohol Rehab
While prioritizing treatment is crucial, understanding how to work in addiction recovery is also important. The good news is that the law protects your right to continue working while undergoing treatment.
After discussing your need for drug/alcohol treatment with your employer and preparing them, along with other coworkers, for your leave of absence, the next biggest priority is committing to treatment.
This means entering the program with a resolute mindset to see it through. By planning ahead and following the tips on preparing your work for your absence, there should be minimal disruption to your work. This allows you to focus on your recovery with peace of mind.
It is most beneficial for your recovery that you attend twelve-step program meetings, either through Alcoholics Anonymous or any other drug-affiliated twelve-step program, while in treatment.
The Twelve Steps are extremely important for your healing and recovery. As you transition out of treatment, it is essential to your long-term sobriety to keep your focus on the 12-step program and continue attending meetings. Through these meetings and step work, you will gain the ongoing support you need to maintain sobriety.
Furthermore, you can continue to get the help you need through intensive outpatient treatment that can be utilized as a resource for transitioning back into the work environment. This can provide you with ongoing individual, group, and family counseling and many of the same recovery modalities offered in inpatient treatment without staying in the facility overnight.
Intensive outpatient rehab has more flexibility for someone who needs to maintain a full-time job. This allows for scheduling rehab appointments outside of work hours. This eliminates the need to take leave or significantly reduce work hours to attend treatment.
When you return to work, you must fulfill any requirements outlined in the Return-to-Work agreement that your employer may have set forth before leaving for treatment. This may entail that you willingly comply with any drug tests you may need to take upon arrival.
Lastly, it is essential that as you transition back to work, you find healthier coping mechanisms for your stress to ensure that you do not potentially relapse in the future. This could include:
- Eating healthier
- Exercising
- Meditating
- Attending sober living programs and meetings
- Working through the 12 steps with a sponsor
Drug and Alcohol Rehab in Austin, Texas
It is essential to your long-term sobriety that you find a drug/alcohol treatment facility that will develop a holistic plan to meet your needs.
Finding a treatment center that accepts your insurance, or is willing to work with you financially, may be beneficial. This can prevent the stress of trying to pay back any debt incurred through rehab so you can more easily focus on your recovery once leaving the treatment facility.
Fortunately, for people living in or near the Austin, Texas area, Infinite Recovery provides in-depth, custom-tailored, individualized support while providing a financial means to attend treatment.
Infinite Recovery is in a network with major insurance companies and many smaller, more privately-owned companies.
Our rehab center is staffed with Master’s level clinicians on staff and medical professionals on hand 24/7. You’ll have the peace of mind you need to achieve lasting recovery.
The time to seek help for your drug or alcohol addiction is now. Don’t delay seeking treatment out of fear of losing your job – avoiding seeking treatment can cause you to lose your job in the first place.
Have a conversation with your employer. You may be pleasantly surprised when they encourage you to take the next steps to improve your well-being by walking on a path of sobriety.
Contact us today to learn more about our personalized treatment programs and take the first step towards a healthier future.
Sources:
Infinite Recovery has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations for our references. We avoid using tertiary references as our sources. You can learn more about how we source our references by reading our editorial guidelines and medical review policy.
- Society for Human Resource Management. Employing and Managing People with Substance Use Addictions. SHRM. Accessed July 5, 2022. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/toolkits/pages/personswithaddictions.aspx
- Felman A. Addiction: Symptoms, effects, and what to look for. Published October 26, 2018. Accessed July 5, 2022. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323459
- United States Commission on Civil Rights. Chapter 4. Accessed July 5, 2022. https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/ada/ch4.htm
- US Department of Labor. elaws – Family and Medical Leave Act Advisor. Accessed July 5, 2022. https://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/whd/fmla/10c9.aspx
