Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Family and Medical Leave Act, or FMLA, is an important law that impacts the ability for individuals to get help with mental health care or drug abuse disorders. This important law was signed into effect by Pres. Bill Clinton in January 1993, and has been helping individuals receive healthcare ever since.

At Southeastern Recovery Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, we handle FMLA paperwork on your behalf to make it easier for you to enter rehab for mental health disorders such as anxiety, PTSD, and depression or drug abuse disorders such as fentanyl addiction, alcohol addiction, and more. Our certified program is designed to make it easy for you to get the help you need, and that includes help you take off from work through the Family and Medical Leave Act so that you can receive the healthcare you need.

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What is the FMLA? The FMLA is the Family and Medical Leave Act signed into effect in 1993.

Why is the FMLA relevant in North Carolina? The FMLA allows North Carolinians to take time off of work to receive rehab for drug addiction and mental health disorders.

How is the FMLA implemented in North Carolina? Southeastern Recovery Center will help you file FMLA paperwork so that you can take time off of work to attend rehab.

What conditions qualify for FMLA? The FMLA covers any serious health condition, including drug and alcohol addiction and mental health disorders such as anxiety and PTSD.

How to Choose the Best FMLA Rehab in North Carolina. Find an accredited rehab center that can treat drug addiction such as opioid or ketamine, or otherwise deal with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

How Treatment Works at Southeastern Recovery Center. Southeastern Recovery Center will personalize your treatment from minute one to improve your chances of making a full recovery

Frequently Asked Questions About FMLA. Learn some of the common misconceptions relating to FMLA.

What is The FMLA?

The FMLA is the Family and Medical Leave Act that was signed by Bill Clinton in 1993. The main function of the FMLA is for eligible employees to be able to take unpaid, job protected leave for either medical reasons or family reasons. While they will not be financially compensated for his time off, there’s also be protected, allowing them up to 12 weeks of leave in a 12 month period for reasons such as:

the birth of a child and to care for the newborn child within one year of birth;
the placement with the employee of a child for adoption or foster care and to care for the newly placed child within one year of placement;
to care for the employee’s spouse, child, or parent who has a serious health condition;
a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her job;
any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member on “covered active duty;” or
Twenty-six work weeks of leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered servicemember with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the servicemember’s spouse, son, daughter, parent, or next of kin (military caregiver leave).

Why is The FMLA Relevant in North Carolina?

The FMLA is relevant in North Carolina because the Family and Medical Leave Act can be used to cover time periods spent in rehab. This means that North Carolinians that are covered under the FMLA can afford to spend several weeks getting the medical care they need for drug addiction or mental health disorders (or both).

The ability to use the FMLA to cover your time and rehab should not be underestimated, as several statistics show:

In 2023, the CDC estimated that 54.2 million Americans age 12 or older needed substance use disorder treatment, but only 12.8 million people received treatment.
Washington recorded that 500,000 individuals older than 18 had a substance use disorder and 463,000 of them (92%) did not receive treatment in 2018. However, once Washington implemented FMLA, this number decreased by 10%.
Overdose deaths in North Carolina increased by 22% in 2021, largely driven by fentanyl.
Research by the CDC in 2019 found that North Carolina was one of only five states where the rate of deaths from overdoses was higher in rural areas than urban areas.

Taken altogether, the data shows a trend where individuals that need the drug addiction and mental health support provided at facilities like Southeastern Recovery Center are not receiving it. This is why it’s important that individuals are aware that they can take advantage of the FMLA to help protect their jobs while they receive the rehab treatment they need.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or substance use disorders, it’s important to be aware that help is available, even if that means help with filling out FMLA paperwork to receive treatment.

What Conditions Qualify for FMLA?

Under the FMLA, any condition qualifies so long as it is considered a “serious health condition.” This is defined as an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves either inpatient care or continuing treatment by a healthcare provider.

In other words, this means that the FMLA will cover mental health disorders and drug addiction treatment such as:

Anxiety
PTSD
depression
alcohol addiction
fentanyl addiction
ketamine addiction

This is just the tip of the iceberg of what qualifies as a serious health condition. In general, any physical or mental health condition that impairs an individual’s ability to live a healthy life will likely fall under the FMLA’s definition of a serious health condition.

How is the FMLA Implemented in North Carolina Rehab?

At Southeastern Recovery Center, our approach to treating patients is both scientific and compassionate. Not only are we able to help individuals file FMLA paperwork, we’re also able to facilitate their treatment for drug addiction or mental health disorders. We understand that there are a variety of underlying factors that lead to an individual needing to take time off of work to attend rehab in the first place. This is why our goal is fully comprehending what they’re experiencing, and equipping them with the tools they’ll need to cope with their condition. We do this through offering a variety of treatments:

Residential Treatment – 24-hour structured support for those needing intensive care.
Outpatient Programs – Flexible treatment options for clients balancing recovery with daily responsibilities.
Therapy and Counseling – Evidence-based modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and trauma-informed care.
Dual Diagnosis Treatment – Addressing co-occurring mental health issues.
Aftercare and Alumni Support – Helping clients transition smoothly back into daily life.
Drug Addiction Support – For clients that have developed an addiction to drugs or alcohol to self medicate for mental health, we make use of facilitation into detoxification facilities, addiction treatments, and residential treatment to help patients return to sober living.

Whether you’re coming to us from Fayetteville or from Raleigh, know that all patients receive the same comprehensive, personalized care to guide the path towards towards dealing with drug addiction and mental health disorders.

How to Choose the Best FMLA Rehab in North Carolina

While being able to use the FMLA to receive up to 12 weeks of treatment per year can be useful, it’s important for North Carolinians to spend their unpaid, job protected leave at effective healthcare facilities. Finding the best rehab in North Carolina requires looking at various factors such as types of addictions treated (such as opioids or alcohol) as well as the various mental health disorders they can manage, such as depression, PTSD, or anxiety.

Here are some key factors to consider:

Assistance with filing FMLA paperwork
Accreditation from CARF or The Joint Commission
Licensed therapists and addiction specialists
Holistic treatment
Experience with conditions like Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, and more
Experience with drugs such as opioids, ketamine, alcohol, and other substances
Individualized treatment plans
Aftercare and long-term support
Addressing any drug or alcohol dependencies or addictions that may have developed as a result of poor mental health

At Southeastern Recovery Center, we meet all of these criteria and more. Our focus on integrity, compassion, and clinical excellence has made us one of North Carolina’s most trusted rehab providers.

How Treatment Works at Southeastern Recovery Center

From your first phone call to the day you graduate from treatment, our team provides step-by-step support.

1. Assessment & Admission – Our admissions team evaluates your needs, verifies insurance coverage, and assists with filing FMLA paperwork.
2. Stabilization – We guide you through safe withdrawal in a medically supported environment.
3. Therapeutic Care – You’ll work with licensed therapists to uncover root causes and triggers of your depression.
4. Skill Building & Aftercare – We help you develop tools and routines for lasting alleviation of depression symptoms.
5. Ongoing Support – Alumni programs and recovery resources keep you connected to your progress.

Our mission is simple: to provide the highest level of mental health rehab possible so that every client leaves stronger, healthier, and ready to thrive.

Why Choose Southeastern Recovery Center

At Southeastern Recovery Center, we believe that individuals deserve personalized care, and that recovery is more than just sobriety. To us, recovering from drug and alcohol addiction or mental health disorders is about rebuilding life with purpose and clarity. Our Charlotte-based facility provides a safe, welcoming space where individuals can focus fully on healing.

Our experienced team, state-of-the-art facility, and commitment to personalized care make us a leading choice for North Carolinians seeking to alleviate depression.

What To Expect eBook

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If you or a loved one are interested in learning more about what to expect when getting mental health treatment, please fill out our brief form and download the eBook. You can also give our admissions team a call & we would be happy to answer any questions you may have. Help is only a call away!

Frequently Asked Questions About the FMLA

Do you get paid while on FMLA?

No, you do not get paid while on FMLA. The law specifically designed for unpaid but job protected leave. That said, you can use accrued paid vacation leave, paid sick, or family leave for some or all of the FMLA leave period.

How do you apply for FMLA?

You apply for FMLA by notifying your employer of when you need to leave, alerting them whether or not you’re eligible for FMLA leave, and then completing the necessary paperwork and certification alongside your employer.

How to file for FMLA?

You file for FMLA by notifying your employer and then going through the FMLA leave process, as outlined on the Department of Labor’s website. Alternatively, you can work directly with us as Southeastern Recovery Center at Charlotte, North Carolina, and we will handle the FMLA leave paperwork on your behalf.

Who is eligible for FMLA?

The people eligible for FMLA included individuals working at a covered employer will have been at the workplace for at least 12 months, at least 1250 hours over the past 12 months, and work at a location where the company employs 50 or more employees within 75 miles.

Can FMLA be denied?

Yes, FMLA can be denied, but only under specific instances such as an employee failing to provide proper notice. This is why the process of filing FMLA can be critical, and why we help our patients with the process.

We're Here For You!

If you or a loved are struggling with depression, please reach out to our team today. Many treatment centers take a one-size-fits-all approach when treating mental health disorders which isn't effective...At SERC, we understand that each client has their own story which led them to seeking help. We put emphasis on individualized care, tailoring treatment based on the specific needs of each client.