Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to depression? (A guide)
By
PsychReel
In this brief guide, we will look at the question “Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to depression?”, as well as other related questions like Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to Stress or Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to childcare.
Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to depression?
Yes, you can claim benefits if you leave your job due to depression, provided that you can give “Good Cause”, proper proof in the form of notes from the doctor and in some cases, some evidence of your reduced ability to perform your job.
In most cases, people claim benefits if they leave their job due to depression in the form of disabilities, which allow them to seek help that they need.
People suffering from depression may also seek unemployment benefits in the form of Housing benefits, childcare benefits, or unemployment insurance, which may allow them to seek treatment without worrying about their financial condition.
In the UK, someone may be able to claim benefits if they leave their job due to depression in the form of universal credit, and they may be eligible for it after they have quit their job and applied for the benefits.
Another form of benefit that people may be eligible for after quitting their job due to depression is Workers compensation, the brief criteria for which according to the US department of labor is:
- Coverage for workers’ medical expenses
- Compensation for lost wages while a worker is out recovering
- Benefits for dependents of workers who died from job-related hazards
More benefits may be available depending on the condition of the person and what proof they are able to provide, but in general if the person is not able to provide adequate proof they may get some reduced pay for the first 3 months, which is known as Sanctions.
In some cases, the person may also be eligible for benefits after they have quit their job due to depression if their contract stipulates so, for example in the form of leave encashment, which entitles them to take all their leaves after they have handed in their resignation letter, so that they can take time off to recuperate.
Someone diagnosed with clinical depression is usually able to qualify for Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) and in these cases the person may have to prove that the depression is preventing a person from working, is considered a mental illness, and this makes the person qualified for SSDI.
The SSDI application and approval process is long-drawn-out, and in most cases it may be wise to file an application as soon as possible.
Don’t be afraid or ashamed to seek benefits if you are depressed, some people are even born with depression. There is nothing to be ashamed of.
If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.
Can I claim benefits if I quit my job due to stress?
Yes, you can claim benefits if you have to leave your job due to stress, and provisions in the United States Labor Laws allow for such a possibility if someone is able to provide adequate proof of what their health is like, which is known as “Good Cause”.
When someone has left a job due to stress, and this may be done by providing adequate information about their condition, that is, how bad their stress is and according to their doctor, how leaving their job helps their situation.
In the United States, most states may require the person to tell their employer and the relevant authorities details about their condition and if they are seeking any treatment, and sometimes the seeking treatment aspect may be stipulated in the contract or rules as well.
The person quitting their job due to stress may also be required to submit some proof of their lack of other financial help when they are claiming benefits
It is almost certain that the employee will need to submit a “Good cause” application or some sort as well, which specifies why they have quit their job and why they are seeking benefits.
People seeking benefits may also be eligible for job seeker’s allowance, depending on where they are and what their needs are, so make sure you check for this benefit as well after you quit your job due to stress.
If someone has stress from work or feels that they have stress from work they may need to provide some evidence of that too, or they may be required to tell the employer how quitting their job will help them.
If you are thinking about quitting your job due to stress, here are some symptoms of stress you should know about:
- Becoming easily agitated, frustrated, and moody
- Feeling overwhelmed, like you are losing control or need to take control
- Having difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind
- Feeling bad about yourself (low self-esteem), lonely, worthless, and depressed
- Avoiding others
- Low energy
- Headaches
- Upset stomach, including diarrhea, constipation, and nausea
- Aches, pains, and tense muscles
- Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
- Insomnia
- Frequent colds and infections
- Loss of intimate desire and/or ability
- Nervousness and shaking, ringing in the ear, cold or sweaty hands and feet
- Dry mouth and difficulty swallowing
- Clenched jaw and grinding teeth
- Constant worrying
- Racing thoughts
- Forgetfulness and disorganization
- Inability to focus
- Poor judgment
- Being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side
Symptoms of Depression
If you feel that you need to quit your job due to depression, you should also be aware of the symptoms of depression well enough, so that you can get treatment accordingly and be better able to describe the thoughts to the doctor and other people.
- Reduced concentration and attention;
- reduced self-esteem and self-confidence;
- ideas of guilt and unworthiness (even in a mild type of episode);
- bleak and pessimistic views of the future;
- ideas or acts of self-harm or taking ones life;
- disturbed sleep;
- diminished appetite.
- Loss of interest or pleasure in activities that are normally enjoyable;
- lack of emotional reactivity to normally pleasurable surroundings and events;
- waking in the morning 2 hours or more before the usual time;
- depression worse in the morning
- psychomotor retardation or agitation
- marked loss of appetite;
- weight loss
- Marked loss of libido.”
Can I claim benefits if I quit my job due to Childcare?
Yes, in most countries that offer entitlement, you can claim benefits if you leave your job due to childcare, and this entitlement may also apply to other situations where you have had to leave your job.
There are also benefits that may be availed specifically in the time of the ongoing lockdown, and according to the Families First Coronavirus Response act (FFCRA), one may be entitled to childcare if they have worked 30 days or longer for their employer, and they are not a part of the Act’s exempt categories.
This act specifies a period of up to 12 weeks of protected paid time off in the case where a parent needs to provide childcare because their child’s school or daycare center has closed due to the COVID-19 crisis and no alternates are available.
The entitlement in this act is calculated according to the original pay of the employee, in that about two-thirds of regular pay may be provided, with up to a maximum of $200 per day.
The person is also allowed to supplement their pay with any other pay options such as sick or vacation pay.
The leaves allowed by the act may be taken intermittently as long as they do not surpass 12 weeks and only if the employer agrees.
The employer is not allowed to take any adverse action against the person because of their request to take time away from work due to childcare responsibilities.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we looked at the question “Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to depression?”, as well as other related questions like Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to Stress or Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to childcare.
Leaving a job is a hard decision which may feel particularly harder if you are also struggling with depression at the same time, and benefits from the government can help tremendously in this regard.
If you have any comments or questions similar to “Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to depression?” please feel free to reach out to us anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Can I claim benefits if I leave my job due to depression?
Can I claim Universal Credit if I leave my job?
No, yes you can claim universal credit if you leave your job, but you also don’t have to be out of work to claim universal credit.
Many people easily claim universal credit while they are working and usually the concept of upper limit to the number of hours you can work also does not apply,
Can you claim benefits if you suffer from depression?
Yes, you can claim benefits if you suffer from depression, usually in the form of disability benefits, and this may be done in cases where the individual with depression meets certain specific disability criteria which one may find in the Social Security’s impairment listing manual, if you are in the US.
One may also be granted a medical-vocational allowance based on the severity of their depression and a combination of other factors which may be assessed at the time of leaving the job.
Can you leave your job because of stress?
Yes, you can leave your job because of stress because it can be one of the reasons that fit into the “medically documented” reasons category, and if stress starts to affect your health, you can take time off or quit your job.
If you don’t want to quit your job right away or you are concerned about your finances if you do, you can also try asking for fewer responsibilities, as sometimes a simple break from work if stress can help with the condition without adding to your stress by putting you through an exhaustive job search.
Can I get unemployment if I quit my job due to anxiety?
Yes, you can get unemployment if you quit your job due to anxiety, as any “medically documented” reason entitles you for unemployment.
One may also be able to get unemployment if they are suffering from a condition that is triggered by stress, which anxiety can often be. A medically documented reason means something that requires you to visit your doctor during your time of employment and gives you a recommendation from your doctor that you either need to take time off or change your job.
Should I resign or get fired?
It is better if you resign than get fired, because resigning can be better for future employers, on the other hand, if you want to be able to claim benefits of any kind after leaving the job, you might not be able to do so if you are not able to show “good cause” for resigning, and you will also not receive the compensation that employees get if they are fired.
“It’s always better for your reputation if you resign, because it makes it look like the decision was yours –– not theirs,” Jansen Levit, the writer of “I don’t know what I want, but it’s not this”, says. “But if you resign, you may not be entitled to the type of compensation you would receive if you were fired.”
Citations
https://www.monster.com/career-advice/article/resign-or-be-fired
https://www.webmd.com/balance/stress-management/stress-symptoms-effects_of-stress-on-the-body#2
