Get Sober & Keep Your Job: Approaching HR

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Struggling with addiction is an exhausting uphill battle that will only get harder the longer you wait to get help. Maybe you’ve considered getting addiction treatment before, but you’ve been putting it off because you don’t want to take time off from work. Maybe you’ve thought, “Well I must not be that bad, if I still am employed.” Unfortunately, that may just be your addiction talking. Addiction is a serious disease that will ravage your life — and cause you to lose your job — if you don’t get help. What’s more, in most cases it’s illegal for you to be fired if you take it upon yourself to seek substance abuse treatment. If you want to get sober and keep your job, here are a few tips on how to approach your company’s human resources department about seeking addiction treatment.

Speak To People In Recovery

If you’re considering seeking addiction treatment, a helpful tip is to ask for advice from others in recovery themselves. Asking about the personal experiences of those who were once in the position you’re in now will help you start to talking about your substance abuse problem and also get advice. Admitting to someone else that you are struggling with addiction will take a weight off of your shoulders and make it a little easier to talk about when you approach HR about taking a leave of absence. Maybe there’s someone in your office or your circle of friends who has gotten treatment in the past? If not, give our caring admissions team, Matt, Brian, and Ashlee a call. They’ve been in your shoes and can lend an ear or provide any advice you may need.

How to Approach Human Resources About Your Drug or Alcohol Addiction

If you’re currently employed and are planning to take a leave of absence to get professional treatment, let your human resources representative know beforehand. (Ghosting your work isn’t the answer.) Email and schedule a time to meet with them instead of slipping into their office casually. This way you’ll be able to prepare yourself for what you’re going to say — and how much you’re going to tell them.

Don’t let your anxiety get the best of you either. Human resources is there to help you and all they want is for you to get better so you can return to work. Don’t allow your fear of losing your job stop you from getting the help you need. Legally, if you let your human resources know that you want to take a leave of absence to seek professional treatment, most employers have to allow up to 12 weeks off of work and cannot fire you. When you discuss your situation with them, you also don’t have to share specific details and they can’t dig for details you don’t want to share. All you have to do is let them know you want to take a leave of absence to get addiction treatment.

How Can EAPs Help You Get Addiction Treatment?

If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with your human resources representative, you can let them know you’d like to speak with your company’s EAP or Employee Assistance Program. An EAP is a free program for workers that provide consultation services for any issues that arise within the workplace — and that includes struggles with substance abuse. In most situations, your EAP acts as an unbiased third party that can discuss your options with you and refer you to addiction treatment programs. They also will communicate with your HR representative, so you don’t have to. For more information about how EAPs can help you get the addiction treatment you deserve, give us a call or check out our blog HERE.

Getting Residential Addiction Treatment

The most important tip is to get help sooner rather than later. Don’t put off talking to your company’s human resources representative about taking a leave of absence to seek residential addiction treatment. At Acqua Recovery, we provide a safe sanctuary for you to remove yourself from your daily life triggers and focus on healing yourself — while keeping your job. Taking time off from work is definitely worthwhile if it will prevent you from being fired. More importantly, it’s a decision that could save your life. Reach out to Matt, Brian, or Ashlee, our caring admissions team, for more tips on how to approach your work to seek residential addiction treatment.

Get Sober & Keep Your Job: Approaching HR

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Dr. Daniel Pickrell

Dr. Daniel Pickrell
Medical Reviewer

Dr. Pickrell is a board-certified psychiatrist with interests in addiction and psychiatry. He strives to identify the underlying cause of substance use. His understanding of addiction as the overlapping symptoms of biopsychosocial development is the foundation to his care model. He is committed to helping both patients and families understand that addiction is a treatable medical illness. He has been involved in the treatment of addiction for the last 17 years and completed his residency training at the University of Utah.

By: Acqua Recovery

Posted Date: Feb 1, 2023

Updated Date: Nov 6, 2024

Struggling with addiction is an exhausting uphill battle that will only get harder the longer you wait to get help. Maybe you’ve considered getting addiction treatment before, but you’ve been putting it off because you don’t want to take time off from work. Maybe you've thought, “Well I must not be that bad, if I still am employed.” Unfortunately, that may just be your addiction talking. Addiction is a serious disease that will ravage your life — and cause you to lose your job — if you don’t get help. What's more, in most cases it’s illegal for you to be fired if you take it upon yourself to seek substance abuse treatment. If you want to get sober and keep your job, here are a few tips on how to approach your company’s human resources department about seeking addiction treatment.

Speak To People In Recovery

If you’re considering seeking addiction treatment, a helpful tip is to ask for advice from others in recovery themselves. Asking about the personal experiences of those who were once in the position you're in now will help you start to talking about your substance abuse problem and also get advice. Admitting to someone else that you are struggling with addiction will take a weight off of your shoulders and make it a little easier to talk about when you approach HR about taking a leave of absence. Maybe there's someone in your office or your circle of friends who has gotten treatment in the past? If not, give our caring admissions team, Matt, Brian, and Ashlee a call. They’ve been in your shoes and can lend an ear or provide any advice you may need.

How to Approach Human Resources About Your Drug or Alcohol Addiction

If you’re currently employed and are planning to take a leave of absence to get professional treatment, let your human resources representative know beforehand. (Ghosting your work isn't the answer.) Email and schedule a time to meet with them instead of slipping into their office casually. This way you’ll be able to prepare yourself for what you’re going to say — and how much you’re going to tell them.

Don’t let your anxiety get the best of you either. Human resources is there to help you and all they want is for you to get better so you can return to work. Don’t allow your fear of losing your job stop you from getting the help you need. Legally, if you let your human resources know that you want to take a leave of absence to seek professional treatment, most employers have to allow up to 12 weeks off of work and cannot fire you. When you discuss your situation with them, you also don’t have to share specific details and they can’t dig for details you don’t want to share. All you have to do is let them know you want to take a leave of absence to get addiction treatment.

How Can EAPs Help You Get Addiction Treatment?

If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with your human resources representative, you can let them know you’d like to speak with your company’s EAP or Employee Assistance Program. An EAP is a free program for workers that provide consultation services for any issues that arise within the workplace — and that includes struggles with substance abuse. In most situations, your EAP acts as an unbiased third party that can discuss your options with you and refer you to addiction treatment programs. They also will communicate with your HR representative, so you don’t have to. For more information about how EAPs can help you get the addiction treatment you deserve, give us a call or check out our blog HERE.

Getting Residential Addiction Treatment

The most important tip is to get help sooner rather than later. Don’t put off talking to your company’s human resources representative about taking a leave of absence to seek residential addiction treatment. At Acqua Recovery, we provide a safe sanctuary for you to remove yourself from your daily life triggers and focus on healing yourself — while keeping your job. Taking time off from work is definitely worthwhile if it will prevent you from being fired. More importantly, it's a decision that could save your life. Reach out to Matt, Brian, or Ashlee, our caring admissions team, for more tips on how to approach your work to seek residential addiction treatment.

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