Leaving a Job Due to Health Reasons
For many professionals, work is not only a source of income but also a core part of identity. When serious illness or injury interrupts your ability to perform your job, the decision to step away can be overwhelming. Leaving a job due to health reasons often involves a combination of medical, financial, and legal considerations that are not immediately obvious to employees or their families and are not easy to undertake alone.
This article explains common reasons for leaving a job due to health concerns, what protections and benefits may apply, and steps to take before making a final decision to leave work, or before submitting a disability insurance claim.
Common Reasons for Leaving a Job Due to Health Concerns
Not all health challenges are visible, and not all evolve to disabilities. Some are acute problems that come on suddenly, but many are chronic conditions that slowly erode the ability to work. No one begins a career with a mindset that it will be cut short by a disability, so even the process of acknowledging that health concerns are gradually impairing the ability to get your normal job done can take some time. Some health conditions that might eventually cause a disability include chronic fatigue, increasing pain, or neurological disorders that might impede cognitive acuity.
According to the Council for Disability Income Awareness, the most common reasons for long-term disability claims are:
- Musculoskeletal disorders (25%)
- Injuries such as fractures, sprains, and strains of muscles and ligaments (13%)
- Cancer (12%)
- Mental health issues (10%)
- Circulatory (heart attack, stroke) (8%)1
Yet many other health conditions, such as long-COVID, ME/CFS, neurological disorders like Parkinson’s Disease, and more can cause someone to leave the workforce. Each of these conditions can make regular attendance, concentration, and stamina nearly impossible, even for employees who are highly motivated to keep working.
Considering a Disability Claim Before Resignation
Before you submit a resignation letter, it is critical to consider whether you have a disability income insurance policy through your employer. Typically, your last day of work serves as your first date of disability, as you need to be a covered employee at the time of your date of disability. Resigning too soon might jeopardize your disability claim.
For many employees, the question is not only whether they can keep working, but also how they will support themselves if they cannot. Filing for disability insurance benefits before resigning can be a critical step.
Employer-sponsored long-term disability benefits may fill the gap. These benefits usually replace 50–70% of pre-disability income, subject to offsets for other sources of income such as state disability benefits, workers’ compensation benefits, or Social Security Disability Benefits, to name a few. Speaking with an ERISA attorney before finalizing your decision to leave work can ensure you do not unintentionally waive coverage.
Leaving a Job Due to Mental Health Reasons or Physical Conditions
Before deciding that you will leave your job and file a disability claim, it is important that you receive regular and appropriate care with a medical provider. For mental health disability claims, that usually means seeing a therapist on a regular basis, and working with an MD to explore medication options.
It is important to note that although a workplace can and frequently does contribute to the mental health condition, the mental health disability must be ongoing even outside of a particular workplace for it to rise to the level of a disability claim. Therefore, speak to your doctor not just about the stresses of the workplace, but how you might be struggling with your everyday activities as well.
Likewise, for physical disabilities, be sure that your doctor knows the “full picture” of how your health affects your life, both in and out of the workplace. Describe to your doctor what activities are difficult to accomplish, and what the effect is when you have worked a full day at the office. It is important for your doctor to understand how limiting your health concern is, since you will be asking him or her to fill out forms in support of your long-term disability claim.
Practical Steps Before Resigning
If your health is forcing you to consider leaving your job, these steps can help protect your interests:
- Review your benefit plan documents. Locate copies of your disability insurance policies and review them to understand what is considered a disabling condition. You can also consult with an attorney at Springer Ayeni for an analysis of your policy’s particular terms and conditions.
- Secure medical documentation. Ask your treating physicians to take down detailed records of your condition and its impact on your job performance, so that your medical records tell the complete story of your impairment.
- Consider disability benefits applications before resigning. Filing while still actively employed can preserve eligibility under ERISA plans.
- Consult with an attorney. Legal advice can help you strategize the best way to step back from working, and what might be needed for a successful long-term disability claim.
Emotional and Practical Considerations
Leaving a job for health reasons is not just a legal or financial matter; it is also an emotional one. Many employees struggle with guilt, fear of stigma, or anxiety about the future. The National Institute of Mental Health provides resources for coping with mental health challenges.2 Organizations like NAMI offer peer support groups for individuals facing job loss due to illness.3 Seeking support can make the transition less isolating.
Bringing It All Together
Leaving a job due to health reasons is rarely a simple decision. Whether the challenge is physical illness, injury, or mental health, the consequences affect every aspect of life. Understanding legal protections, evaluating disability benefits, and taking the right steps before resigning can safeguard both your financial security and your peace of mind.
At Springer Ayeni, APLC, we have spent more than two decades helping professionals navigate this difficult crossroads. If you are facing the possibility of leaving work due to health concerns, we are here to provide clear advice, protect your rights, and support you through the transition.
References:
1 Disability Statistics. Council for Disability Income Awareness.
https://thecdia.org/disability-statistics/
2 Caring for Your Mental Health. National Institute of Mental Health.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health.
3 Workforce: Peer Support Workers. National Alliance on Mental Illness. https://www.nami.org/advocacy/policy-priorities/improving-health/workforce-peer support-workers/
