Will I Lose My Job if I Go to Rehab?

For those who are in search of an affordable drug rehab , cost isn’t the only financial issue they must keep in mind. With such a slim job market, today’s employees are more concerned than ever about the potential for them to lose their jobs if they choose to go to a rehab center to deal with their addiction. The good news is that if you are performing your job as you are supposed to, you may have nothing to worry about. In fact, you may find that your employer plays a supportive role in your recovery.

Laws and Specifics

According to Labor Code section 1025-1028, it is against the law for an employer to fire you specifically because you go into a drug rehab facility. They are also required to abide by privacy laws so that they are unable to share your rehab status with others. With that being said, it’s important to be sure that your addiction has not caused you to fail at your tasks as an employee. Employers can fire you for not performing your duties or for violating company policy, whether you go into a rehab or not. Consider some of the scenarios below that could cause you to be terminated, regardless of your drug problem

• Poor attendance as part of the effects of your addiction.
• Theft of company property to support the addiction.
• Lack of meeting performance standards due to hangover or active using.
• Using drugs or alcohol on company property or while in uniform.

Justifiable Firing

Some of the instances above can cause you to lose your job. If you are an addict, it is likely that you have experienced one or more of the situations described here. However, your employer may be able to compare your past behavior to your current behavior and notice a difference. That means that entering an affordable drug rehab might save your job instead of costing you it.

If your performance was satisfactory or better before the addiction set in, your employer may be supportive about your entry into one of the low cost rehab centers in the area because they know you will do better when you’re released. Speak with your human resource manager today. The truth is that if you are going to lose your job over going to rehab, you were most certainly getting ready to lose it anyhow.