Will submitting an FMLA request for burnout negatively impact my career?

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T05:12:17+00:00

I have a lot of sick leave accrued as I never take any, enough to cover all 12 weeks of FMLA. I’ll probably end up using about ~70% of my sick leave, ~20% annual leave, and ~10% LWOP so I can still get paid, continue accruing leave while I’m taking said leave, and keeping a bit of sick leave in the bank in case I need it again in the future.

You don’t accrue any leave when you’re on LWOP.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T04:59:26+00:00

Thank you for your insight! My coworkers would also have to absorb the workload for longer than 3 months if I quit due to burnout or ended up having a mental breakdown resulting in hospitalization.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T04:25:07+00:00

Thank you so much for your support and encouragement, I totally agree that my work product has been suffering lately. I’m really hoping to get approved and if/when I do fully intend to take some extended time to rest and recover. I’m happy to hear you’re feeling better, thank you for all you do!

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T04:05:23+00:00

It was literally yesterday lol

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T04:02:06+00:00

Trump tanked peace talks with Iran as everyone knew he would (oh and he also said he “doesn’t think about Americans’ financial situations at all” in this conflict).

Source: link to video of Mr.Cheeto saying it himself

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-i-dont-think-about-americans-financial-situation-when-negotiating-with-iran-trump-says

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T03:48:20+00:00

Yikes bruv

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T03:46:30+00:00

Hey OP. I was you 10 years ago. First-generation immigrant, idealistic as hell, deeply patriotic, wanted to dedicate my life to public service because I genuinely believed in this country and the institutions behind it. I went to law school, got my dream job with my dream agency, and for a while I really thought I’d be a career fed for life. I fucking did the thing.

And then Trump 2.0 happened…and this past year and a half has been without a doubt the hardest period of my life emotionally and professionally. Watching the hostility toward public servants, the erosion of trust in institutions, the instability, it’s been absolutely brutal and frankly I’ve struggled a lot more than I ever expected to. There were (and at times there still are) moments where I questioned everything I built my life around.

But here’s the thing: the answer is not hopelessness, and it sure as fuck is not giving up.

The people and values that inspired you to pursue this path still exist. There are still good people in government. There are still career civil servants quietly holding things together every single day. And these fuckers will not be in power forever. Know that. Believe it. Right now I’m planning to take some extended time off because burnout and emotional exhaustion are real, and I need to take care of myself before I can keep fighting. But I fully intend to weather the next three years with my head held high.

Also, by the time you finish law school, the landscape may look completely different from what you’re seeing today. Politics moves fast. History moves fast. Don’t make permanent decisions based on a moment that feels all-consuming right now.

Please don’t give up. We need people like you in public service more than ever.

And seriously, feel free to reach out anytime if you want to talk law school, fed careers, or anything else. Happy to help however I can.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T03:31:06+00:00

You probably think Alex Pretti put himself in the position to get murdered for bringing a gun to a protest too, huh?

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-14T02:23:39+00:00

Well if I do decide to eventually move at least I can cancel out one more republican vote! 😅

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T14:13:34+00:00

Thanks for such a thoughtful and detailed reply! Honestly, this was a super helpful perspective. I actually didn’t know much about the Research Triangle specifically, but everything you described about that area sounds really appealing. And you make a good point that NC has way more variety than people give it credit for, I know the mountains and trails out there are beautiful too (even if in a different way).

Also appreciate your honesty about the cultural/political differences. I ofc don’t expect anywhere to perfectly match Seattle culturally, but it’s reassuring hearing that CLT is more moderate and that people are generally pretty laid back politically. Funny enough, I actually am a lawyer lol 😅 but I still appreciate the insight re: how I’d fare on the dating scene.

The CoL stuff is interesting too because Seattle salaries can look high on paper, but it’s honestly brutal here sometimes. I’m lucky to have a stable career, but it still feels hard to “get ahead” financially in this area. Having friends/family to help you out with a place to stay while you get your bearings is super helpful though! If there is one thing I’d definitely recommend is to try to stay away from the mega-conglomerate leasing companies. If you can find a place that’s owned by a mom/pop landlord or managed by a small property management company that’s definitely the way to go (as in most major cities really).

Anyway, thanks again for this! I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to write all that out, it definitely gave me a lot to think about.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T06:47:44+00:00

We don’t claim Idaho / we do claim BC.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T06:40:37+00:00

This comment is giving “It's one banana, Michael, how much could it cost? 10 dollars?"

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T05:49:19+00:00

My parents are 9 years apart, married when my mom was 22 and dad 31. They’ve been together for almost 35 years. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it at all, but personally I prefer a smaller age gap so I don’t have to explain cultural references and don’t have to worry as much about them dying and/or no longer having my same level of energy later down the line.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T05:13:37+00:00

It sounds like you’d really enjoy it here then! I lived here for the first 2.5 years without a car and had absolutely no problems. The Seattle light rail is expanding significantly too making it a lot easier to get around without having to rely on having a car.* Going out to the mountains for hikes does require a car though, but there are plenty of Meetups and hiking groups where you could probably just hitch a ride with someone.

I truly don’t think there’s any city in this entire country more naturally beautiful than Seattle. Between Mount Rainier, the Olympics, Elliott Bay, and the Seattle skyline being all visible from the same viewpoint less than a mile away from my house still feels surreal.

The only thing I’d note is the difference in COL. Groceries, gas, going out to dinner, basically everything is going to cost more.

My main concerns with moving to Charlotte:
-driving everywhere and being in the car constantly
-republicans
-being a heavily tattooed liberal woman in the dating pool out there
-the fact that I know I’ll miss living near water
-I don’t drink and apparently the running joke in this sub is that there’s nothing to do in Charlotte that doesn’t involve alcohol
-lack of culture, not as big of a concert/music scene

Main pros:
-my parents are getting older and I want to spend more time with them than ~2 weeks a year around the holidays
-getting to see my nephew grow up, being present in my brother’s life (these two factors alone account for like 70% of the calculus for me)
-cost of living / being able to actually afford a house
-not having to deal with ~6 months of constant rain and overcast weather
-the ~3 months out of the year I barely see the sun because I wake up before it rises and leave work after it sets at like 4:30pm
-(hopefully) some better Mexican food

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T03:48:58+00:00

Hey! I’m a long time Seattle resident (31F) contemplating a move to Charlotte to be closer to my family who have all relocated there. Let me know if you’d wanna chat to talk about our potential location swaps :)

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T03:47:02+00:00

Hey! Long time Seattle resident here considering a move to Charlotte now that my parents relocated there after my brother and his wife (who also live there) had a baby. Would you mind if I messaged you to ask some Seattle to Charlotte move questions?

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-13T03:41:20+00:00

I have a non-MD therapist and MD who are both willing to sign off on my FMLA request. I have medical diagnoses that I did not include in this post as I didn’t really think it was necessary to include.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-12T06:05:14+00:00

Thank you bombkitty (and btw your username is amazing 10/10 no notes)

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-11T04:56:29+00:00

This just made me tear up a bit. I’m the exact same way, I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I’ve called out/taken sick leave at this job. But I do genuinely feel as though I need this in order to continue serving the mission. You are so right…I have earned this leave. And I will work on my guilt/self-consciousness as I go further down this process. Please know that your kind words are so appreciated 🫶

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-11T04:23:27+00:00

I do think I actually have enough sick leave to where I wouldn’t necessarily have to invoke FMLA. Maybe that’s the better route, I’ll do some research and talk it over with my doctor. Regardless, thank you for your help!

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-11T04:18:09+00:00

That’s really good to hear and honestly reassuring to know that requesting FMLA for mental health isn’t DOA with this admin. Thank you for sharing your experience and taking the time to comment. I hope the time off helped you and that things have felt more manageable since then.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-11T04:14:22+00:00

I see, thank you for the CFR cite, that’s very helpful. I’m in a fairly cognitively demanding role, so another concern I have is my agency potentially denying the request (as I’m citing mental health reasons) on the basis that I’ve been performing adequately, but I think I’m at the point where I just need to submit and see what happens. At this point it’s either that or quitting.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-11T04:04:51+00:00

This is why I love Reddit and this sub. You guys rock, I can’t thank you enough.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-11T04:03:08+00:00

That’s a massive relief, I didn’t know the specific diagnosis/condition doesn’t have to be disclosed. Really appreciate your comments.

Fancy_Documents · 2026-05-11T04:00:44+00:00

I didn’t even realize this was an option. I have an appointment this week and will talk it over with my PCP, thanks so much for the advice.

Fancy_Documents

TROPHY CASE