Getting time off work for anxiety course

[rheannap]

Hi all.

I work full time 8-5pm, and have run out of holiday until 2020. I have had mild depression and anxiety for the last year or so, and have been invited to a 2 day anxiety course, which I have signed up to.

However, because I have run out of annual leave, I cant just take these two days as leave. I have two options - take these days as unpaid leave, and not tell my boss the reason. Or, tell my boss I have been diagnosed with anxiety and ask to go to this course without having to take unpaid leave.

FYI, I'm 25 years old, have been with my current company for 2 years and work as a surveyor for a construction company.

please could I have some advice?!

thanks everyone in advance.

Can you simply say you have medical appointments over these two days?

Even if you say the reason it would be unpaid .

I wouldn't tell your boss the reason. Say its medical and leave it at that. If you explain you have anxiety - then (as someone also treated for anxiety) i imagine you're likely to become anxious about what they will do with that information. And that anxiety would actually be well founded. Sharing this isn't in your best interests.
Good luck with the course, i hope you find it useful.

Hi all thanks for your help.

So I wouldn't be able to take this not unpaid??
What about if it was hospital appointment or something, would one have to take this as leave?
Just out of interest.

A hospital appt wouldn't take 2 days though. I would expect it to be taken unpaid.

Unpaid leave unless it was prescribed by a doctor or organised by occupational health, I’d expect.

Unpaid leave.

We would let you have it off as paid leave if you told us what it was. But we are a small company and employ quite a lot of older people with health issues so we offer this as a sort of low key perk! If it became a regular thing we'd look at moving it to unpaid.

Whether it is paid or not will depend on your employer's policy on leave for medical treatment, and whether it has been prescribed/ arranged for you by a clinician.

Trewser's approach is great. Two days of leave for treatment that will prevent future sickness and improve your work performance. Unfortunately few employers take that kind of forward thinking approach.

Thanks! We are a small company and don't pay huge salaries so it's something we can do and are happy to do.