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| Is it still taboo to take a mental health sick day? | Is it still taboo to take a mental health sick day? |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Madalyn Parker, a US web developer, sparked a debate about workplace attitudes to mind problems after tweeting an email from her boss. | Madalyn Parker, a US web developer, sparked a debate about workplace attitudes to mind problems after tweeting an email from her boss. |
| Her boss said she was an "example to us all" by telling colleagues she was taking sick leave for her mental health - but would British managers be similarly supportive? | Her boss said she was an "example to us all" by telling colleagues she was taking sick leave for her mental health - but would British managers be similarly supportive? |
| In an email titled "Where's Madalyn", she told colleagues: "I'm taking today and tomorrow to focus on my mental health. Hopefully I'll be back next week refreshed and back to 100%". | In an email titled "Where's Madalyn", she told colleagues: "I'm taking today and tomorrow to focus on my mental health. Hopefully I'll be back next week refreshed and back to 100%". |
| Chief executive Ben Congleton replied to the message, saying: "I can't believe this is not standard practice at all organisations," adding: "You are an example to us all, and help cut through the stigma so we can all bring our whole selves to work." | |
| What are your rights in the UK? | What are your rights in the UK? |
| In the UK, there is no legal difference between taking a mental health sick day and a day off for a physical problem like a back problem. | In the UK, there is no legal difference between taking a mental health sick day and a day off for a physical problem like a back problem. |
| Last year, Britons took 137 million sick days. Of these, 15.8 million days were for a stated mental health issue - whether that is stress, depression, anxiety or a more serious condition such as manic depression and schizophrenia - according to Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey statistics. | Last year, Britons took 137 million sick days. Of these, 15.8 million days were for a stated mental health issue - whether that is stress, depression, anxiety or a more serious condition such as manic depression and schizophrenia - according to Office for National Statistics Labour Force Survey statistics. |
| By contrast, 34 million days were "lost" to minor illnesses, like coughs and colds. | By contrast, 34 million days were "lost" to minor illnesses, like coughs and colds. |
| But Madeleine McGivern, head of workplace wellbeing at charity Mind, says "people are still wary" of admitting their sick day is actually due to mental health. | But Madeleine McGivern, head of workplace wellbeing at charity Mind, says "people are still wary" of admitting their sick day is actually due to mental health. |
| "There is definitely a fear it will affect your career, or that people will judge you and make assumptions that aren't fair or true," she says. | "There is definitely a fear it will affect your career, or that people will judge you and make assumptions that aren't fair or true," she says. |
| "If you're not in a supportive environment, if you do disclose a mental health problem it can be really harmful to you." | "If you're not in a supportive environment, if you do disclose a mental health problem it can be really harmful to you." |
| Despite the stigma, she says employers are legally required to protect the health and safety of those at work - and this includes mental health problem if it affects a person's day-to-day life. | Despite the stigma, she says employers are legally required to protect the health and safety of those at work - and this includes mental health problem if it affects a person's day-to-day life. |
| "If you are unwell for any reason, you should be able to work in a place where you feel you can say 'I'm unwell today because I've got an inflamed back' or 'I've got really high feelings of anxiety at the moment' - they're actually the same thing," she says. | "If you are unwell for any reason, you should be able to work in a place where you feel you can say 'I'm unwell today because I've got an inflamed back' or 'I've got really high feelings of anxiety at the moment' - they're actually the same thing," she says. |
| Lisa, a 42-year-old manager, contacted the BBC to say she felt pressured to "put on a brave face" and go to work while dealing with depression. | Lisa, a 42-year-old manager, contacted the BBC to say she felt pressured to "put on a brave face" and go to work while dealing with depression. |
| "I've been working in the public sector for over 20 years and have twice had short periods off work through mental health issues," she says. | "I've been working in the public sector for over 20 years and have twice had short periods off work through mental health issues," she says. |
| She says she feared being stigmatised as "flaky" if she took time off. | She says she feared being stigmatised as "flaky" if she took time off. |
| "The need to 'put on a brave face' was overwhelming and in the end too much for me," she says. | "The need to 'put on a brave face' was overwhelming and in the end too much for me," she says. |
| "I was prescribed anti-depressants and stayed off work for a few weeks. Even when I returned I wasn't supported and felt further ostracised." | "I was prescribed anti-depressants and stayed off work for a few weeks. Even when I returned I wasn't supported and felt further ostracised." |
| Lisa says her career had "until now been the defining passion in my life", adding: "As a previously high-performing individual the treatment I received felt like a bereavement." | Lisa says her career had "until now been the defining passion in my life", adding: "As a previously high-performing individual the treatment I received felt like a bereavement." |
| Six months ago, she took time off after dealing with ageing parents and her moving house. | Six months ago, she took time off after dealing with ageing parents and her moving house. |
| "I took just a few days off work to 'sort myself out', seeing the GP, finding a counsellor and starting an exercise and diet regime." | "I took just a few days off work to 'sort myself out', seeing the GP, finding a counsellor and starting an exercise and diet regime." |
| Now, she says "I am still battling on" but that there are still days when she feels her workplace does not care about her as an individual. | Now, she says "I am still battling on" but that there are still days when she feels her workplace does not care about her as an individual. |
| "It makes me wonder how other people are coping and what is going on under the surface of a lot of other 'brave faces'," she says. | "It makes me wonder how other people are coping and what is going on under the surface of a lot of other 'brave faces'," she says. |
| What is being done to help? | What is being done to help? |
| Large companies are keen to say they are supporting staff and tackling stigma around mental health. | Large companies are keen to say they are supporting staff and tackling stigma around mental health. |
| Over the past six years, almost 500 companies - including Tesco, Unilever and M&S - have made a pledge known as "Time to Change", where they commit to tackling problems like anxiety and depression in the workplace. | Over the past six years, almost 500 companies - including Tesco, Unilever and M&S - have made a pledge known as "Time to Change", where they commit to tackling problems like anxiety and depression in the workplace. |
| It involves training managers to spot the signs of mental illness among their workers and raise awareness. | It involves training managers to spot the signs of mental illness among their workers and raise awareness. |
| "When you look at the reality of the situation, mental health isn't being addressed properly," says Sam Gurney, head of equality and strategy at the Trades Union Congress (TUC). | "When you look at the reality of the situation, mental health isn't being addressed properly," says Sam Gurney, head of equality and strategy at the Trades Union Congress (TUC). |
| Research by the TUC shows just one in four people who have suffered from a mental illness or phobia for one year are in work. | Research by the TUC shows just one in four people who have suffered from a mental illness or phobia for one year are in work. |
| "People can be terrified of saying they have some kind of issue," Sam says. | "People can be terrified of saying they have some kind of issue," Sam says. |
| "If you're on a zero-hours contract, you're far less likely to go to your boss and say 'I've got these issues' because they're going to see that person as a problem." | "If you're on a zero-hours contract, you're far less likely to go to your boss and say 'I've got these issues' because they're going to see that person as a problem." |
| Many workplace unions encourage employers to have a sickness procedure that covers issues such as anxiety - and to tackle the root cause of mental issues, for example by training employees to also act as mentors. | Many workplace unions encourage employers to have a sickness procedure that covers issues such as anxiety - and to tackle the root cause of mental issues, for example by training employees to also act as mentors. |
| In light of more professional footballers seeking help for mental health problems, including Everton's Aaron Lennon, the Professional Footballers' Association runs a 24-hour helpline and says it is telling players it is "OK to talk". | In light of more professional footballers seeking help for mental health problems, including Everton's Aaron Lennon, the Professional Footballers' Association runs a 24-hour helpline and says it is telling players it is "OK to talk". |
| Police, fire, ambulance and search-and-rescue teams in England and Wales are unusual in that workers receive government-funded mental health support. | Police, fire, ambulance and search-and-rescue teams in England and Wales are unusual in that workers receive government-funded mental health support. |
| Through a £1.5m grant, Mind provides emergency staff and volunteers with access to help under a project known as Blue Light. | Through a £1.5m grant, Mind provides emergency staff and volunteers with access to help under a project known as Blue Light. |
| Ms McGivern says the charity also offers legal advice to anyone feeling forced out at work, adding: "There's something to be said about the way we look for work. | Ms McGivern says the charity also offers legal advice to anyone feeling forced out at work, adding: "There's something to be said about the way we look for work. |
| "The power's with the employee to choose where to work and ask - are they going to work with me or break me into a million pieces?" she says. | "The power's with the employee to choose where to work and ask - are they going to work with me or break me into a million pieces?" she says. |