Can you work while in rehab? The answer to that question can depend on which type of program you’re in and how many hours of care you receive each day.
At Tampa Bay Recovery Center, we work closely with all clients to provide the personalized rehab services that best meet their unique circumstances and align with their scheduling needs.
Learn more about rehab in Tampa Bay, FL, or verify your insurance today.
Types of Rehab
Though people often think of rehab as a single entity, the term actually encompasses a variety of programs. These options are often referred to as levels of care.
Levels of care in addiction rehab include:
- Residential treatment: At this level, you will live at the rehab while you’re receiving treatment. Features of residential treatment include multiple types of therapy and round-the-clock supervision and support.
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP): PHPs are similar to residential programs, but you only need to be at the rehab when treatment is in session. In the evenings and on the weekends you can return to your home or to an alternative supported residence.
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP): IOPs usually offer two or three hours of treatment, two to five days per week. Group therapy is usually the main method of care, but most IOPs also provide other services as well.
- Outpatient therapy: This level offers maximum flexibility, with patients scheduling sessions at whatever frequency is best for them. Outpatient care can be a valuable source of ongoing support after completing a higher level of care.
- Virtual addiction treatment: Virtual or telehealth treatment options offer the greatest flexibility for those who cannot attend in-person sessions on a regular basis.
Can You Work While in Rehab?
Can you work while in rehab? The answer to that question depends on which level of care you’re enrolled in:
- Residential: You can’t work while you’re in a residential program, because you will be at the center 24/7.
- PHP: Since PHPs are usually in session around six hours per day, five to seven days per week, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to work while you’re in this type of program.
- IOP: At this level, the answer to the question, can you work while in rehab, is usually yes. However, your ability to work and participate in treatment can depend on how the treatment calendar aligns with your work schedule.
- Outpatient therapy: As long as you schedule sessions when you’re not expected to be at work, there should be no reason why you can’t do both.
Can I Lose My Job if I Go to Rehab?
One reason why people wonder if they can work while in rehab is that they fear they may lose their job if they take time to get treatment.
Two federal laws that may protect your job if you go to rehab are the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA, which was signed into law in 1990, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas of life, including employment. Under the ADA, people cannot be fired, denied promotions, or passed over for jobs solely on the basis of a disability if they can fulfill all responsibilities of the job with reasonable accommodations.
As described by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, examples of reasonable accommodations for someone with a substance use disorder include offering a leave of absence so an employee can enter a rehab program.
To be clear: The ADA does not prevent employees from being fired or otherwise punished if they violate workplace rules regarding alcohol or other drugs. But it does protect people from being fired for having an addiction, as long as they are not currently using illegal drugs.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
Since it became law in 1993, the FMLA allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year for a variety of reasons, including to get treatment for a serious health condition that prevents them from doing their job.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a substance use disorder qualifies as serious health conditions under the FMLA if the condition is severe enough to warrant “inpatient care and/or continuing treatment.”
How Can I Decide if I Need Rehab?
It’s of course important to find out if you can work while you’re in rehab. But before getting the answer to that question, how can you know when it’s finally time to get help?
If you think you might need addiction treatment, ask yourself the following questions:
- When you start drinking or using other substances, do you frequently end up using more than you intended?
- Do you spend significant amounts of time acquiring and using substances, as well as recovering from their effects?
- Have you failed to pay bills, keep appointments, or fulfill other responsibilities as a result of your substance use?
- Have you lied to or otherwise deceived loved ones about the amount and frequency of your substance use?
- Do you commonly use substances alone or in secret?
- Do you feel the need to use substances to be happy or to cope with stress?
- Have you continued to use substances even after going through some type of medical, mental health, or social problem that was either caused or worsened by your substance use?
- Do you use substances is ways that pose a clear risk of harm to yourself or others, such as by combining multiple drugs or driving while impaired?
- Have you reduced or ended your participation in important activities because of your substance use?
- Have you developed tolerance, which means that you need to use larger amounts of the substance than you used to in order to feel its effects?
- Do you develop withdrawal symptoms when you try to curtail your substance use?
- Has someone in your life ever suggested to you that you might have a substance problem?
If you can answer yes to any or all of these questions, it’s time to talk to your doctor or schedule an assessment at a reputable rehab center near you.
How Can I Find the Right Rehab for Me?
Once you’ve decided that rehab is the right option, the next step is finding the center that’s best for you. There’s no single “perfect” rehab, so your goal should be to identify the provider whose services align most closely with your needs and preferences.
The following types of questions can help you make the right choice:
- What is the rehab’s treatment philosophy or general approach to care?
- What are the qualifications of the professionals who will be providing your care?
- What types of therapies and support services does the rehab provide?
- How will they decide which therapies and support services are right for you?
- Can you get help for anxiety, depression, or other co-occurring mental health concerns if you need it?
- How long will you need to remain in treatment?
- Will they allow you to work while in rehab?
- What type of discharge planning or aftercare support does the rehab provide?
- Does the rehab take your insurance?
Learn More About Outpatient Rehab in Tampa Bay
Tampa Bay Recovery Center is a premier source of personalized outpatient rehab for adults whose lives have been disrupted addictions to alcohol and other drugs
Treatment options at our outpatient center in St. Petersburg, FL, include a partial hospitalization program (PHP), an intensive outpatient program (IOP), outpatient rehab, and virtual treatment.
To learn more call 813-733-5686 or verify your insurance now.
