Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol: Support for the Workplace
If you work, it is a big part of your life—and it’s important to have support if you’re dealing with mental health, drug, or alcohol issues. If you're an employer, you can create a healthy and supportive workplace.
Mental health, drug, or alcohol issues and your job
Your job can affect your health and recovery in many ways. If you work long or irregular hours, have an emotionally or physically tiring job, you may be at higher risk.
If you need help, ask your manager or human resources (HR) professional what resources your company has. Some employers have a workplace wellness program or an employee assistance program (EAP) that offers programs to lower stress, including free or low-cost counseling.
Find support specifically for:
If you’re worried about a coworker, get tips on how to talk to them (PDF | 127 KB). You can also talk to your manager or human resources (HR) department about your worries.
Find more resources to support you in the workplace.
If you’re an employer or manager, create a supportive workplace
There are resources to help you create a healthy workplace and support employees with mental health issues. These resources provide information on creating awareness, providing appropriate accommodations, and supporting employees through workplace programs and health care access.
Part of a supportive workplace is creating an environment to support people dealing with alcohol and drug issues and their recovery.
There are also legal requirements for employers and managers to be aware of.
Know your rights
Insurance coverage for mental health, drug, and alcohol issues
Under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act, parity is the legal requirement that job-based health plans and health insurance issuers provide mental health benefits in a similar way as medical and surgical benefits. So if your job-based health plan offers mental health benefits, they must be covered equally (in parity) with other medical and surgical benefits. Watch this parity explainer video (48 seconds).
If you’re having issues with coverage for mental health, drug, or alcohol treatment, here’s a detailed guide to your rights. You can also ask your health insurance company to re-review their coverage decision by telling them you’d like to appeal their decision.
Accommodations for people with disabilities—including mental health, drug, and alcohol issues
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is a national law. It says that you cannot treat people unfairly because of a disability. The ADA covers many kinds of disabilities, including mental health, drug, and alcohol issues.
Learn about workplace protections if you:
- Have a mental health condition like depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Use opioids
Time off to deal with your or a family member’s serious health condition or treatment—including mental health or substance use treatment
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you have protections when you need time off for managing your serious health condition, or that of a spouse, child, or parent.
- Learn about mental health and your FMLA rights.
- Learn about when you can use FMLA for your or a loved one’s drug or alcohol issues.
If you’re taking care of a family member, don’t forget to take care of yourself too. Get more tips on physical and mental health for caregivers.