The text below has been copied from the Service Canada Employment Insurance Compassionate Care Benefits publication
One of the most difficult times for anyone is when a loved one is dying or at risk of death. The demands of caring for a gravely ill family member can jeopardize both your job and the financial security of your family. The Government of Canada believes that, during such times, you should not have to choose between keeping your job and caring for your family.
The Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace has a website that contains a lot of helpful and interesting information on creating mental health strategies in the workplace.
The link below features a number of short videos that deal with these issues and may be helpful to members who affected by friends, family or co-workers who are struggling with mental health problems, or may themselves be dealing with their own mental health issues.
Dear Jackie Lee,
I am going through a divorce and I am so depressed. I can barely function at work. I feel like I am just putting in time. I am so worried that I am going to lose my job and I need my pay. I don’t know how to get through this.
Please help,
Sonia
Dear Jackie Lee,
I just received my yearly performance appraisal and it wasn’t as good as I had hoped. There were a lot of areas I am expected to improve on, that I thought I was doing great at. I work hard but now I feel like I just want to quit.
How could my manager do this?
I’ve talked with my co-workers, and they feel that I am being treated unfairly as well.
What do I do?
Thanks,
Luc
Hi Jackie,
I am a single mom with a teenager at home who is getting into trouble and has no respect for me. I am constantly receiving calls at work from school about her. She never pays her phone so I end up covering the bill. She doesn’t work but wants new clothes and makeup. She has friends over constantly and they leave everything a mess. I am exhausted and tired of all the fights.
Please help,
Lisa
Having been a union representative for many years, the number of members who come to us for the 1st time after 15-25 years of trouble-free service in the Federal Government never ceases to amaze me. Generally speaking, the reasons for the meeting are because something changed and that change has negatively affected the member’s work life. The problem may stem from organizational changes or reporting hierarchy, or a manager whose management “style” makes the member’s life difficult, and it gets tougher and tougher for them to get motivated to come to work each day. Finally, the situation becomes unbearable and the member either has to leave (retirement or stress leave) or work with us to resolve the problems and restore respect and productivity.
By Jackie Lee Agnew
Career Coaching: 9 Key Things I Tell Clients Looking for a New Career!
Dear Jackie,
I am working in a place that is filled with gossipers. All they do is talk about everyone else and it is stressing me out. I can’t even eat my lunch in peace.
What do I do?
Kate
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work….Thomas Edison
Resilience (or resiliency) is our ability to adapt and bounce back when things don’t go as planned. Resilient people don’t wallow or dwell on failures; they acknowledge the situation, learn from their mistakes, and then move forward.
Coping with Uncertainty
As most of you are aware, it is a very stressful time to be a government worker. Where working for the government once felt like a sure thing – pension, salary, benefits – it is now a place of uncertainty, layoffs and short term contracts.