Should we get time off from work after a break-up?

In the wake of a break-up, there’s a lot going on. Alongside big emotions – whether sadness, grief, regret or anger – there are often logistics to manage, like finding a place to live, telling friends and family and figuring out finances. In some instances, there’s co-parenting to navigate and – heaven forbid – a decision to make around who gets the dog.

At the same time, there are also the demands of your job. Often your work remains separate to your personal struggles, but perhaps it doesn’t have to. Earlier this year, the Philippines parliament considered a bill which would introduce “heartbreak leave”, to give employees time off after a break-up.



Experts say heartbreak can be just as debilitating as an illness. Credit: Getty Images If employees and businesses can find common ground in granting this leave, experts say they’ll both benefit. So, is heartbreak leave likely in Australia? And how might it work? Asking your boss for time away Psychotherapist and relationship counsellor Melissa Ferrari says a break-up can decimate someone’s mental health.

“Unlike the TV show Severance , we are not separated from things in our personal life at work. We take our emotions and feelings into the workplace,” says Ferrari . “In a break-up, the impact can be akin to PTSD .

.. so it is something that needs to be taken seriously.

” When there are real threats to the mental health of an employee, Ferrari says it should be treated like any other health condition..