Writing for the Harvard Business Review, Amy Gallo provides a very good advice piece on how to think through options when a personal crisis is affecting your work life. The crisis may be a family member with an illness, your own health situation, a divorce, or any other significant external stressor. Gallo’s full article goes into helpful detail, explaining key advice and discussing several case examples. She summarizes her major points this way:
Do:
- Determine what type of support you need — at home and at work.
- Tell your colleagues what’s happening so that they feel compassion for your situation.
- Make clear, specific requests of your coworkers and boss so that they know how they can help you.
Don’t:
- Feel you have to tell everyone directly — it’s OK to ask close colleagues to explain to others what’s going on.
- Share every detail of your situation; tell coworkers only the details that are pertinent to them.
- Assume that it will be painful to continue working during this time — sometimes going to the office can be a comfort.
Employee benefits
I’m going to put on my employment lawyer hat and underscore the importance of understanding your benefit options.
First, know your employee benefits. They may include, among other things, vacation and sick days, personal leave, and perhaps even pay advances or long-term disability coverage.
Second, if the situation involves your own health, you may have a right to a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or an equivalent state law.
Third, if your health or that of an immediate family member is involved, consider the option of unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act. Some employers and a few jurisdictions may offer paid medical leave.
Words of caution
Finally, if you happen to be working for a not-so-great employer, be careful about disclosures and requests involving personal crises — notwithstanding Amy Gallo’s advice. Unfortunately, there are all too many stories of unscrupulous employers using an employee’s personal crisis as a way of pushing them out of the workplace. Maybe they don’t want to provide medical leave or a reasonable accommodation. Maybe they’re looking for the right excuse to get rid of an otherwise productive worker. As many of those who have experienced workplace bullying can attest, some abusive managers are very, very good at sniffing out vulnerability.
If you think your situation may be putting your job at risk, that is the time to seek the advice of a lawyer who specializes in representing employees. For more on securing an employment attorney, see my article posted earlier this year, “Bad work situations: When do you need an employment lawyer?“
Minding the Workplace 