When You Need Time Off Work: 3 Things To Keep In Mind

It can be quite hard to ask your boss to give you the day off. Every single day up and down the country, hundreds of thousands of people struggle with the choice to stay at home, rest, and recover, or ring their boss and see if it’s even possible to be authorized with some PTO. 

And for a lot of people, it’s far too common to hear that you have to come in or risk losing your job in the long run. 

But when you’re trying to both be a good employee and live your own personal life, these two sides can clash and make things impossible. If you’re disabled, have a chronic illness, or you’re a working parent with lots of family responsibilities, you simply don’t get enough time off as you need. 

And that’s why it’s important to know your rights. When you need to take some time off work, but you’re not sure what you can do, keep these 3 things in mind. 

Try to Give as Much Notice as Possible

It’s always a good idea to warn your manager, supervisor, or boss as far ahead of time as you possibly can. 

If you need to ask for time off for something that’s been booked in advance, don’t go to them the day before and say you need to take a couple hours tomorrow afternoon. It won’t go down well, and it certainly won’t earn you any goodwill regarding your time keeping. 

Of course, you won’t always be able to give notice or put in a leave request. But if there’s even a slight hint that you might need time off, make sure the seniors on your team are aware ASAP.

Check What’s Covered Under the FMLA

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) covers a few health and wellness situations, and more than most people think. You can even be covered under the FMLA for rehab, if you need time and space to cope with addiction issues or setbacks in your recovery journey. 

If you work for an employer that’s covered under the FMLA, you could get up to 12 weeks of protected leave every single year without suffering any workplace consequences or retribution from your employer themselves. 

However, these 12 weeks won’t be paid, so your finances can still become a bit wobbly while you’re using your time off. 

You Don’t Have to Give Details

When you request time off, it’s common to feel like you need to give as much explanation around your reasons as possible. 

It feels like the only way your boss would understand, and be willing to give you the time you need, is if they’re kept entirely in the loop, right down to the sensitive details.

But you don’t need to overshare here. When you need time off, you simply need to say so, and provide a general reason as to why.

If you need time off, be brief, give notice, and check your FMLA eligibility. 

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