Does this sort of thing exist in AB? or is it very much dependent on your own Private Healthcare coverage?

Trying to do a bit of research for a friend of mine who is getting a hard time of it at work, from her manager and colleagues and it's affecting her health, both mentally and physically and her husband works away a lot, so he's not really there for her all the time when she might need him.

I've told her to speak to her GP and see about getting signed off on leave, but she's convinced that she'll just have to take leave without any pay so won't do it.

Does anyone have any information on this at all? It's something I've never had the need to look into so have no idea where to begin!

Looking from the standpoint of a GP, aside from her husband being away which we encounter a huge amount here although for obvious reasons these numbers are plummeting as a lot of people are getting laid off, are there reasons for her to be particularly stressed at th moment?
We would assess her mental state, find out how anxious or depressed they she was and this would influence whether we would sign her off for a time whilst she was getting treatment for her symptoms. There would hopefully be some rough timescale to plan a return to work. Extended benefits would provide better access to counselling if appropriate compared to those provided by provincial healthcare plans
If she is just stressed because there is no one there to help with young screaming kids at 3am then aside from trying to get local family to bail her out and help then signing off would be very difficult as this is open ended and would not be accepted by the companies who would be paying the benefits I would have thought

If she has no private insurance the best she would get is EI if it is a qualifying leave and she qualifies for EI and her doctor agrees she needs time off medically.

I'm sure that there's plenty of specific circumstances that you've missed out in your post haggis88, but from the sounds of it your friend doesn't need just leave... She needs a new job!

You're right, there's probably a lot more to it, but i'd generally agree...I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who actually likes their job

I work away also, and my girlfriend hates it...so I can only imagine how other people deal with the situation

Its also the reason I wouldn't want to have kids whilst I'm in a job that needs me to work away

Hi Haggis88
If she works for Alberta Health Services there is an Employee and family assistance programme.She can access this through the website or go to HR, it is completely confidential.I do hope that she can get some help MJ

She should check her benefits as there may be a Short Term Disability program that would top up her EI benefits. The STD is usually through the employer rather than the benefit carrier.

Does it cover those?

Naughty boy!