The Therapist Can't See You Now: How Paid Sick Leave Policy Can Accommodate Mental Illness in the Workplace

Authors

Maddy Goss, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Keywords

preventatitve care, mental health, public health policies

Abstract

Restaurants have become the “poster child” for why employers should adopt paid sick leave. Advocates suggest that employees without access to paid sick leave often show up to work ill due to their inability to sacrifice pay. Clever protest signs read, “No Boogers in my Burger” and “No Coughing in my Coffee.” Any rational customer would not appreciate the thought of a flu-ridden chef assembling their main course. However, the benefits of paid leave legislation and policies go beyond protecting cheeseburgers from flu germs. Just as employees with the flu require time off for medical attention, employees with mental illness require time to attend appointments and engage in preventative care. A staggering one in five adults in the United States have a mental health condition, and the depression rates among young adults is worsening.

Recommended Citation

Maddy Goss, The Therapist Can't See You Now: How Paid Sick Leave Policy Can Accommodate Mental Illness in the Workplace, 71 Ark. L. Rev. 969 (2018).
Available at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/alr/vol71/iss4/4