Mental Health Days—How To Call In Sick With Depression

iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm, is not licensed to practice law, and is not equivalent to the services of a licensed lawyer. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help, and does not offer legal services. Third party news articles mentioned on our website do not necessarily reflect the views of the company, or the current services that we offer.

How To Call In Sick With Depression Using DoNotPay’s Help

Calling in sick is never a pleasant affair—many employees fear the employer will doubt their sincerity about having a cold or back pain and force them to stay sick at work. That feeling intensifies if we want to call in sick for a mental issue that has a stigma attached to it—such as depression.

If you are feeling depressed and unable to work, you can ask for a day (or days) off. In this article, we’ll show you how to call in sick with depression. We’ll also explain how you can request sick leave with ease if you .

Can I Call In Sick for Anxiety or Depression?

As an employee that needs unpaid or paid sick leave, you can rely on the following four sick day rules:

  1. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
  2. The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA)
  3. Individual state laws
  4. Your company’s policy

Out of the four, only the EPSLA doesn’t mandate sick days for mental health issues, as it’s a temporary act that only applies to COVID-19.

Most company policies see mental illnesses as a valid reason for not showing up for work and allow you to call in sick with anxiety or depression. The same goes for the FMLA, which classifies mental issues as a health condition.

Several states have paid sick leave laws. They differ on payments, days available, and qualifying reasons, but mental illnesses are covered in virtually every law. If you want to learn more about individual state laws, check out some articles from the following table:

CaliforniaArizonaPennsylvaniaNorth Carolina
MichiganFloridaVirginiaNew York
MassachusettsMarylandTexasMaine
WashingtonColoradoVermontRhode Island
New JerseyDistrict of ColumbiaOhioGeorgia
OregonConnecticutNevada

How To Call In Sick With Depression

The biggest issue with requesting sick leave for depression is that employees refrain from doing it because they don’t expect to get days off. Even today, there’s a lot of stigma around depression and anxiety, and employees fear the employer won’t believe they have it or that it affects productivity.

Still, the law is clear on this—it’s a valid reason. When calling in sick, you should preferably do it via email or text to avoid a difficult conversation that would add to your stress levels.

When writing your request, you should:

  • Not go into too many details
  • Not lie
  • Tell the employer how long you’re going to be away for
  • Name a colleague that will cover your work
  • Include a doctor’s note if you have one

Doctor’s Note

If your employer requires a sick note before accepting your request, your doctor can issue one for you. It’ll help you prove your condition to the employer, and it’ll be easier to call in sick in the future.

A valid doctor’s note should contain:

  • Date and time of examination
  • Depression diagnosis
  • Recommended time off
  • Doctor’s name and signature

DoNotPay Can Draft a Rock-Solid Sick Leave Request Letter for You

Calling in sick can be awkward, especially if you suffer from depression and fear your employer won’t believe you. You can avoid that by requesting sick leave in writing.

If you don’t know what the letter should say or find it too stressful to write it on your own, DoNotPay can help you! Our app will generate a professional sick leave request letter with the information you provide.

All you need to do is , navigate to the Request Sick Leave tool, and:

  1. Insert the state the company is in
  2. Provide information about the company
  3. Enter the dates on which you’ll be absent from work
  4. Choose whether you want us to:
    1. Send the request to your employer directly
    2. Share it with you so you can email it on your own

Bear in mind that your employer may neglect the law and your health needs. They may still refuse your request and punish you for not coming to work. If that happens, you can use DoNotPay’s Small Claims Court product and send demand letters to them with ease.

Get the Best Solutions for Everyday Tasks With Our App

DoNotPay has come up with multiple handy products whose purpose is to make your life simpler and more enjoyable! Don’t hesitate to check out the features that will help you:

Complaints and Appeal Letters Have Never Been Easier To Draft With DoNotPay

Dissatisfied with a delivery? Use DoNotPay to file an item return request and get a refund from the merchant if the product didn’t meet your expectations! We can also help you apply for a late delivery refund or help you claim your warranty or insurance if the product you purchased gets damaged or breaks down. Our multi-functional app also allows you to appeal potentially inaccurate property tax assessments, banned accounts, and seatbelt or parking tickets.

If you subscribe to our platform, you will have a chance to file anonymous HR complaints and prevent discrimination at work more effectively.

Want your issue solved now?