How will Rehab Affect my Job?

THERE ARE CONFIDENTIAL OPTIONS FOR YOU.

If you are ready to enter rehab and are worried about how your privacy might be affected, it may be comforting to know that there are laws and regulations in place to protect you. And know that before you enter any treatment center, you can call it directly and ask about its privacy policies. You should always feel empowered to make a decision about whether or not you feel comfortable with how a given program handles patient information before entering it. If you’re unsure about how entering treatment will impact your employment, give us a call at 866-962-1907. We can help guide you on the best approach for entering rehab while preserving your job.

FMLA Offers Protection Against Being Fired for Going to Rehab

The Family and Medical Leave Act provides protection if you take a leave for medical reasons and can provide you with up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off from work annually without the risk of losing your job. The FMLA also calls for existing group health benefits through your employer to be maintained during your leave.1 A substance use disorder is considered a medical condition.2

The FMLA applies to all public agencies, all school employees and businesses with 50 or more workers. When employers are considered FMLA eligible under these guidelines, they must provide employees who are eligible with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave yearly when the employee cannot work due to a serious health condition.

FMLA Eligibility
You’re eligible under the FMLA if:

• You’ve worked for your employer at least 12 months.
• If you have worked for a minimum of 1,250 hours over the past 12 months.
• You’re employed at a site where the company employs 50 or more workers within 75 miles.
• If you meet these criteria, you can’t be fired for going to rehab by simply taking an FMLA leave of absence.

Be sure to request an FMLA leave before you enter treatment. You can be fired for going to rehab if you don’t follow the formal FMLA process for requesting a leave of absence. If you enter a treatment facility first, then tell your employer afterward, you’re not protected under this law.

ADA Protection Against Being Fired for Going to Rehab

The Americans with Disabilities Act is federal law that prohibits discrimination against employees who have disabilities. Keep in mind an “individual with a disability” doesn’t include a person who is currently using illegal drugs.3 Under the ADA, an employer can terminate an employee if they are using drugs or alcohol on the job, if substance use impacts performance or productivity or if substance use creates unsafe conditions on the job.

Fired for Going to Rehab?

It’s a different matter if your employer discovers you’re going to treatment. For example, let’s say you’re going to take four weeks of vacation time and plan to spend it in rehab. Your employer finds out that you’re going to enter treatment. You can’t be fired for going to rehab under these circumstances, according to the ADA. That’s because chemical dependency is considered a disability.
The ADA law looks to the time a person is terminated to determine whether that employee is currently abusing drugs or alcohol. The law doesn’t look at past transgressions due to drug and alcohol abuse. If you seek substance abuse treatment voluntarily, you can’t be fired for going to rehab or be fired for past mistakes due to drug and alcohol use.

We know that seeking help is never an easy step to take, but you aren’t alone. The vast majority of addicted individuals are employed and live relatively normal lives. They have bills to pay, families to support, and careers to build. 76% of people with substance abuse issues hold jobs. That’s a number that is hard to ignore. When you are ready to take that step, give us a call. 866-962-1907