Can i lose my job for a suicide attempt?
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Can i lose my job for a suicide attempt?
I attempted suicide 2 weeks ago
and now on short term disability
can i lose my job because of this?
Im living in Maine and my job is
Union
Asked on June 15, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, Maine
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 6 years ago | Contributor
You can be terminated if it would reasonably be considered to be unsafe or disruptive to let you back at work: your employer does not need to expose itself to potential liabiltiy or loss of productivity from someone who has demonstrated volitility. You may need some sort of doctor's note that it is safe to let you back, if the employer wants it.
You could also lose your job if, even though you are on short-term disability, you miss more work than you have paid time off (e.g. sick or vacation days) to cover, or are not eligible for and/or do not use FMLA leave (or stay out longer than you have FMLA leave for)--you can find the eligibility criteria for yourself (in brief, you have worked at the employer at least one year; have worked at least 1,250 hours in the past 12 months) and your employer (it must have at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius) on the U.S. Department of Labor website. Disability provides income replacement for people who can't work due to a disability-related reason, but does not actually offer much in the way of job protection, so missing work can result in termination.
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