CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the wake of the pandemic, the workplace has changed for many people. How we balance our work and our personal lives has also altered, but sometimes our mental health can be ignored as we try to work it all out.
Do you need a break to help address some mental health needs, but can't use paid vacation time for it? A long-standing federal law could help you with that.
Dr. Kelley Eaves-Boykin is a human resources consultant in Charlotte. She told WCNC Charlotte anchor Kia Murray that the Family and Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, is usually used to cover several types of leaves from work. This includes welcoming new additions to the family or helping care for loved ones with serious conditions. But what some employees may not know is that FMLA leave can be used for mental health needs as well.
"For appointments, to go to therapy, to take family members to therapy," she said.
The FMLA dictates that workers can use up to 12 work weeks for leave, and it doesn't have to be used up all at once.
"They can be set up for where they don't have to take it all up at one time," Eaves-Boykin said, "for appointments to take care of themselves or our family members dealing with medical issues."
If you're not comfortable going to your supervisor, Eaves-Boykin says there are steps you can take to ensure you can access the leave. She also says employers have to work with you.
"FMLA is the law, and it's a federal law. They have to follow whatever the law says," she said.
Eaves-Boykin laid out three steps to making an FMLA request:
- Make an appointment with your doctor to get what are called qualifying documents. These are used to explain why you need the leave
- Take those documents to your supervisor and ask for the FMLA forms you need to fill out
- Visit the U.S. Department of Labor's website to fully understand the FMLA, how you are covered, and what to do to help yourself.
Contact Kia Murray at kmurray@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.