Mental health is becoming less and less of a taboo subject, and more people see mental health conditions in the same light as physical conditions. If you are too poorly to work because you have the flu or another physical problem, you probably wouldn’t hesitate to take a sick day. However, the same can’t be said for mental health. What should you do if you don’t feel mentally well enough to work? Express.co.uk consulted the experts to find out.
Mental health accounts for 12.7 percent of all sickness absence days in the UK, and that’s probably not including the millions of people who have lied about their reasons for having a day off.
Mental health and physical health go hand in hand, with nearly one in three people with a long-term physical health condition also having a mental health problem.
On top of that, poor mental health can be physically debilitating and increase the risk of developing long-term physical health problems.
The Mental Health Foundation explained: “Our bodies and minds are not separate, so it’s not surprising that mental ill-health can affect your body.
“Depression can come with headaches, fatigue and digestive problems, and anxiety can create an upset stomach, for example.
“Other symptoms can include insomnia, restlessness and difficulty concentrating.”
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With dwindling mental health still not considered a ‘good enough’ reason to take a day off work by society’s standards, it’s understandable why Brits aren’t honest with their bosses.
The law does not differentiate between physical and mental illness sick days, and we are entitled to them if necessary, but very few people honestly take them.
A survey by Direct Line found that nearly one in three tradespeople have taken days off work over the last 18 months because of their mental health.
On average, these people have taken around five days off and one in 10 said they took between one and two weeks off to recover.
However, 24 percent of tradespeople said they should have taken time off in the last 18 months because of their mental health but felt they had to “push through and work anyway”.
Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they have experienced burnout due to being so busy, and nearly half said they feel increasingly stressed and anxious as a result.
If you’re taking seven days or less off work for mental health, you don’t need to give any proof of sickness to your boss.
You’ll only need to give a fit note from your doctor or other proof of sickness from your medical professional if the leave is longer than seven days.
When you return to work, you may be asked to confirm you’ve been off sick by self-certification.
Peninsula UK explained: “Self-certification is a type of sick leave where employees aren’t obliged to provide information on their sickness absence.
“However, if your business policies require it, you can ask them to complete a self-certification form or provide written details for their absence. These forms are generally a shorter version of a fit to work note.
“You can either ask them to provide a form for every day they’re off sick. Or one form for the whole period – it depends on your sickness absence policy.”
Some mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression, are deemed disabilities according to the Equality Act 2010.
The experts said: “This means that if staff do have to take mental health leave from work and appropriate procedures are not followed, included if they are subjected to a detriment as a result, they could potentially bring a costly claim for discrimination.
“Even conditions that are not technically considered a disability, such as stress, should still be responded to and managed carefully.
“Stress can easily lead to anxiety at work which, if left unchecked, could cause the exacerbation or creation of a mental health disability.
“So, when a member of staff feels too anxious to work, it is important to listen to them.”
Staff with anxiety and depression should be treated in the same way as any other illness, which means they should be able to take sick leave and receive sick pay if eligible.
