Lateraled to a new firm a few months ago and thinking about asking for mental health leave…I know I need to do it, but I feel like an utter failure for having to do so

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I might say exactly those words to your new firm.

The firm will immediately and naturally think that maybe they got suckered in hiring you if you go to ask for leave shortly after arriving. But that’s because they will think you are gaming the system. This happens and so that’s where people’s minds will go.

If you tell them how asking for the mental health leave makes you feel (badly), then the firm is less likely to feel swindled. They will, instead, likely feel for you as a human and tell you not to feel badly.

But, here’s the thing: If you need a mental health leave, you need a mental health leave. You can do more damage to your career by not taking a leave when you should take a leave. I have seen this happen often. And I have done this to myself as well. I probably needed a mental health leave as a midlevel associate, but I just tried to silo it and press on. It was in an era that people didn’t take mental health leaves. But, I also thought no one would notice that my head wasn’t in the game. Everyone noticed it. That was my review that year. Basically: “You have always been a superstar but your head doesn’t seem to have been in the game this year. You are making mistakes that you don’t make. Is something wrong in your personal life?”

Yep. There was. Did I admit it to them then? Nope, I did not.

Don’t do this to yourself.

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If you think need to take mental health leave then talk to your treating physician and see if that makes sense. If they agree then case closed. I understand the stress of how to navigate that at work but no one needs to know why you are taking medical leave. My only caveat is to look at your policies to make sure you’ve been there long enough to be entitled to take leave, etc. I am sure it isn’t a problem but every firm is different.

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Just be aware that there is no job protection during your leave.

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P1, FMLA doesn’t set in until after 1 year at a job, but thanks for your snarky comment. I was just posting so OP knows that they could be without a job. Not sure that’d make matters better.

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Just say you’re taking medical leave. No need to tell other lawyers the details. You may have to tell HR the details

Agree. I totally get where your coming from and wish there wasn’t such a stigma. If you are treated poorly because of it, not the firm you want to be at.

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