What if I cannot work due to a mental illness?

Beyond using regular sick days, many people draw on short-term disability benefits if their symptoms prevent them from working for weeks at a time. Generally these benefits cover between 60 to 100 percent of your salary or average pay for up to six month to a year and they are paid from an employer’s plan or from Employment Insurance sickness benefits. If you still cannot return to work after the short-term disability benefits ends, you may be able to receive long-term disability benefits.