Can Going to Rehab Affect Your Career? What You Need to Know

Choosing your health is something that should be the answer to anything it’s put against. However, when it comes to your career, trying to prioritise your health becomes more difficult. It’s a financial decision that could be impactful in many ways, but for many people, it can be a necessity to get better.

Rehab is a critical maintenance step in life, and it’s important to realise that rehabilitation shouldn’t be a career-ender. It’s a professional maintenance step that will hopefully have you back at your job or heading into a new position in no time at all.

While short-term absence requires planning, there are a lot of great benefits in the long-term recovery stages of your journey. From enhancing job performance to strengthening leadership and improving professional longevity.

Considerations of rehab for career professionals

There are several considerations to factor into the possibility of rehab and what it means for your future career path.

Legal protections

Of course, there’s some degree of protection legally available, including the Family and Medical Leave Act, where you may be entitled to unpaid, job-protected leave for treatment if you meet the requirements. This includes 1,250 hours worked in the past 12 months.

The Americans with Disabilities Act may also protect employees with addiction, so that’s another avenue to explore.

Job protection

You cannot be fired simply for going to rehab. However, if you’re coming into work under the influence, then you can be fired regardless of your treatment status. That’s why it’s important to protect yourself and ideally, take the time needed away from the workplace so you can get treated and come back ready to work.

Typically, you cannot work anyway while you’re in a residential rehab due to the intensity that comes from the types of programs offered.

Returning to work

You’ll likely feel anxious about returning to work, but rehab offers a way of rebuilding your professional reputation and the trust that’s often damaged by addiction.

You’ll have everything you need to be prepared to come back to work and adapt to the routine that might have been second nature to you once. Returning to work isn’t easy, but it’s still doable, regardless of how long and complex the journey through rehabilitation was.

Confidentiality 

Employers are not allowed to disclose your reason for leaving, but you may need to communicate with the HR within the business to arrange FMLA or disability leave.

Next Steps to Take

In order to navigate the complexity of rehab with your current career, it’s good to be proactive with your efforts as early as possible.

Review your HR policies and identify where it mentions substance use policies. You’ll want to be strategic with your disclosure details. You don’t need to expand on your reasons, just that you need to leave for a health issue.