Hi my fellow bullshit job'ers –
I've been working at a big co. now for many years, and its sister companies for many years prior. I have a understanding of how the system works and a clear picture of the bullshit, dysfunction, and negligence. A lot of people can use this to their advantage and basically do (or not do) whatever they want — it's VERY siloed — but for me in the past year, it has gotten very bad in terms of stress, nonsense, pettiness. I try to stay out of it, stay in my lane, and do the work i'm assigned — but my boss won't have it — they get off of the power. I'm constantly told to DO MORE, reply faster, asked why I'm slacking, etc. despite me pushing back, offering solutions, and expressing my burnout, concerns, etc. I do not have plans to have at this company long-term, at least in the next 2-3 years. The turnover is so high that the place will have a whole new working force by then, anyways.
My doctor will sign off for FMLA, for a legitimate health concern, and I have all the benefits/rights to file and believe I'd would be approved for short-term leave (8 weeks at 100%), concurrently with FMLA – (it then goes to 60% for 16 weeks, which I wouldn't tap into, at least for the initial leave request.) The plan is to take this time to heal properly but because I'll be disconnected and have the time to figure things out (for the first time ever), I doubt I'd come back.
I have a 2-week trip scheduled that ends mid-July. Should I wait to file FMLA/short term leave after, which buys me more time with a full paycheck, or do it now, before the trip? This trip is approved by my immediate team and there is no policy about filing for leave after PTO (which we don't keep track in any formal way…because everything is disorganized), so HR would not even know I was out technically. It is not a conflict of interest with my medical reasoning, which is none of my boss's business anyways 🙂 I lean towards after. I don't need to be considerate of a company that isn't considerate of its workers, and I'm past the point of caring, frankly, about what a few people might think. I understand I'm just a clog in the system, and I want to use this to my advantage. I'd be smart about it and file a week or so after the trip, but is this the most OUTRAGEOUS thing you've heard? The worst case that this backfires in some way, I'd just quit. I'm resigned in my mind anyhow.
TLDR: Should I file leave/FMLA AFTER a scheduled 2-week vacation, or before? See above in bold for quick trip/policy context.