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On The Verge Of Loosing My Job Because Of Ptsd

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60 percent disabled PTSD

Question

Is there any protection for a disabled vet against an employer terminating a vet cause he failed a test or Cannot remember OHMS Law?.....

Here is some back ground info.

I am technician for DOT and have been employed for 3 years right out of the war... I have a hard time consentrating or multi tasking but when I Organize and set everything up One at a time, I do Fine.

I was in an IED and have lost memory and parts of hearing and suffer a few other effects from it. This is all documented in my disability...I was just recently approved 60% disabled by the VA...

anyways.

I was asked to complete nemerouse courses since my employemnet with DOT and have scored sucsefully everytime except this last time..I just cant consentrate or remember everthing in the book...and I end up failing it. (I studied the book for three months)..Then my boss proceeds to questions me about OHMS LAW and I couldnt remember so then he thinks thats why I failed, and that Im not a good tech....He preceeded to threaten me with addition school work and loossing my Job if I dont pass this course...

Is there anything I can do if he takes action or if I fail the course again?...

He is also a Vet from the early 80's...wouldnt a vet help a vet? wouldnt he tell me on the side.."look I undestand your having some problems concentrating, here are some supplimental books that might help you, or even say this course isnt for you here try a different one...But no..I think he wants to get rid of me and then my PTSD starts acting up even more and I get so stressed out inside but i have no place to release my anger. Cause i would never do that at work. I just take it and push it way down where it wont ever be seen again...like that ever worked for me... I have kids and Im divorced and pay childsuport..They rely on me to provide for them and I feel helpless because of this and then i get depressed and start drinking alot...its just a no win situation if this continues,...I dont know if I should quit because its so stressfull to work with him asking me things like that..Its demening to me...I really feel abused after our "little talks". I just need some guidance and to feel more secure about my position..If there is any protection from this type of work realted tacticts on Disabled Veterans?

Thanks

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Thank you all for your replies...

News Update from my office

My boss has been reading the regulations on how to get rid of me... He wants to put me on ODP Now..(oportunity to display proficiency) and retrain in math.. he dont understand, I cant remeber things as well..Yes Ill pass those courses like others before but if you ask me a questions a month later and I cant remember the answer...

I feel hes singled me out for the next firing and im wondering why? I Think Its Because of my PTSD.....There are other techs not so smart in our office...(im trying to being nice)... and I show them what to do and sometimes save their life cause they about to make a huge mistake with electricicty and shock themselves or blow up a transformer or ruin the equipment...and those are senior techs been working there 10 years pluss testing High Voltage, 2000 VAC with a freakin multi meter thats set for 600 vac..or trying to test insulation on a cable and they testing the wrong wire.(feeding back into the power pole)...lol... but to my boss im the one whos incompetent because my memory isnt so good...I can see and read...thats how I saved their lives..But if I was to tel the boss that a senior tech did those things, my fellow techs would be mad at me for telling....I respect my fellow soldiers, co-workers and tech's and still maintain my military berings and watch out for them..but the cevilian world im finding only protects themselvse...I dont see anyone in my office supporting me...I think Im Done with this...I dont want my boss to win...but my mental state isnt what it was and I know Im no match for his know how in the federal government cevilian work place and he knows all the ins and outs to protect himself from such matters as a simple vet trying to fight for his rights to be a tech...thats why im trying to reach out...

Also, I Just found out that because I havent completed this course I failed, that I wont be given whats called an SCI...(Supperior contribution insentive) or a raise this year, I also found out that there are other techs in my office that were asked, like me, to take a course and they never completed it because they never read the book for the courses assigned to them but they are receiving an SCI...(I am so upset over this..)I know most people only remember the bad even if you did a hundred good deeds)...but this is just double standards to me and Im sure is unethical.. Now I cant help but feel that there is something going on with my boss.."is perinoia a trait of PTSD?" anyways, I dont think it is right or even legal for my boss to do that..Should I file a complaint...I mean his reasoning is, (how I see it), is that other workers didnt complete the course by not doing it...and they get rewarded...where I as at least I tried but failed n get shit on..is it ok to say that...

In short...He said if it wasnt for failing the course I would be getting a raise...BUT...Other techs never tried to take the courses assigned to them and get a raise

One criteria for the raise is to "complete assisgned courses in a timely manner"..Thats It..Doesnt say, failed.

(I failed it, Yes)....But they never did their courses that is on their list...so I think that I should have let him complain about me not doing the course and get a raise like the others...Am I Wrong? I think I should call him on this double standard or report it to his boss..

Thanks again

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Thanks Bill

Im gona look into that...I told My boss that if I need a formula I have it writen down or even on my laptop..we take our laptop everywher we go..His reply was "I learned that when I was 17 and that should always be your mind when working on a system...

Im gona go to HR and submit all my disablities since they are now approved by the VA...

Could they fire me Now that MY disabilities were approved?...I told them I was disabled but couldnt get the extra 10 percent hiring preference cause it wasnt approved, and they never asked me to disclose my disablities or if I was in the prosess of claiming a disability..I was hired right out of the Military..I was still in the prosses of fileing my claims...

hmmm...I wonder if they would try...

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  • HadIt.com Elder

If you are a 10 point disabled vet you would have to attack your supervisor, or bite someone to get fired from the feds. If it gets too much for you what you do is file for diability retirement and for TDIU. I was a federal employee. I took disability retirement and then filed for SSD and TDIU. The agency I worked for was not wanting to accommdate me any longer so they threw me into the briar patch.

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  • HadIt.com Elder

I know that its hard but maybe asking for Medical Retirement may be way to go. Your Medical Record and what your Boss is doing actually is setting you up to be able to get it.

Good Luck

Just my opinion I retired cause I could no longer hold a job and I know its hard to deal with when you have worked for a long time.

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I faced a similar issue just recently.

I started working as a warehouse manager for Amazon.com almost immediately after I got out of the Army in OCT 2007. I started off doing a stellar job and things slowly went to crap for me. Without getting into the long story, my PTSD started to rear its head and my performance started to go to crap. I started not being able to do my job, not able to focuss, snapping in and out of my "war zone" and needing a lot of time to cool off during work. I often just had to go home because I would start crying and basically melt down at work. They have a lot of former military working at Amazon.com and they were very lenient with me and gave me a lot of patience. Eventually my mouth and impulse control got me into trouble and they suspended me back this last MAR 09. The VA upped me from 30% PTSD to 70% PTSD and they let me come back to work. My performance at work kept going down hill and I kept needing more and more time away from my job so that I could get my head back together. I would spend 1-2 hours a day just sitting in the break room in my "freak out" mode just getting my head back together enough so that I could go back to work. Well, this OCT my mouth and impulse control got me in trouble again and they straight up fired me. I've been unemployed since 8 OCT and more and more of my life keeps going down hill. Honestly, I'm really not mad at Amazon.com for how they treated me. They were more than fair in my opinion and gave me a lot of second chances to get it together. Even though I was terminated because of my behavior, they did me the favor of not fighting my claim for unemployment. I'm so thankful to them for that. They have a business to run and can't afford to constantly throw money and chances at a person who couldn't do what they needed.

I think that getting fired is more favorable for you and your disability claim than quitting your job unless your doctors suggest in writing that you quit. I would think that getting fired because of your service connected disability is much more beneficial to you and your claim than quitting. Just be aware that if you quit you may not be able to get unemployment.

Keep on keeping on and do the best that you can. If you always give it your 100% what is supposed to happen to you will happen. Just tell the VA people the truth and be sure to get everything documented.

My local VA has an OIF/OEF returning veteran program complete with case workers. Everytime I see them, they always update my record and write down everything I tell them. Each time I had trouble at work I would see my OIF case worker then next day and they would document that on my record. When claim time comes, you'll have a decent history of issues with employment so long as you let them know. The OIF/OEF people at my clinic are great.

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I know this is an old post, and hope those involved or experienced would chime in. I'm in a similar boat: boss is asking me to travel, even though I've had bad experiences flying and can't drive long distances by myself. I've asked for reasonable accommodation to NOT travel, and as it's a part of my position description, he said he couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't be required to travel. I've not had to for the past year, so I don't see the big deal, but he's now pushing the issue. I asked in writing to him for reasonable accommodation, but he hasn't responded. I talked to our HR rep, and she said they would have to review my position and determine if it was reasonable. My job performance has been great; they put me in for supervisor of the quarter. I've received raises, etc., but just can't handle travel. I'm finally stable, and have asked my providers to write letters to this effect. Has anyone out there had any other Federal Government experience like this?? I've read the regs and think I have a valid request, but can't afford to lose my job. I'm pretty sure they'd have to place me in a like position if all else fails due to my length of service. Just need some advice, if anyone out there would be so kind!

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