ptsd In Trouble At Work!

[usdart]

I was in a Training session and the instructor made fun of me so I walked out.

This is Required Training and my Boss wants me to come by and 'talk about it'.

Boss knows I have PTSD but, I don't think he understands at all. Man, I am in deep doo-doo now.

What can I say to him to lesson my stress and get him off my backside?l

Edited February 3, 2014 by usdart

[jbasser]

This may be your employer testing you.

Some companies do things like this. If you are going to keep a job, dont let your PTSD control you. Once you do lose control, Its over.

If you do lose the job because of a service connected disability, your wait time to get IU may be problematic to your financial status. I have seen folks in your situation lose it all. I have helped a couple of vets hold it together.

Let your MH doc know about this and if he takes you off of work, then it is more favortable in the eyes of the beast. (VA)

That also licks in any Long/Short term disability policies. if any.

Jbasser

[Navy04]

J,

You are on the money. When I was an Agent last year, the state kept trying to blame my coworkers and me for all the Violent Sex Offenders in the State of Texas, and it got to me, and ultimately I could not handle the situation with my mental health, and I had to resign.

[Notorious Kelly]

Good point, J.

Big problem with our disability systems is they provide no way to LIVE while you're navigating their labyrinths.

So, if you punch out before the process has had time to run, it can be devastating.

Really a travesty.

[justrluk]

OK, first you need a letter from a doctor requesting reasonable accommodations. Your doc should state your requirements, but does not need to state conditions (HIPPA violation here). You present this to your employer (or HR if your organization has one) and keep a copy for yourself. Your employer and you should negotiate what the accommodations look like for your conditions. I've been down this road, and if you stand your ground there should be no issues. Also, as you are a disabled vet you need to request info regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act:http://www.ada.gov/ . I had one of those "come and see me" meetings with my supervisor. He said "don't make me do a fitness for duty evaluation on you." I said, "don't make me call an ADA lawyer. You will lose." I haven't had a problem since. Also, check out: http://www.ada.gov/servicemembers_adainfo.html

Edited February 5, 2014 by justrluk

[john999]

What level of government do you work for? I like what Justrluk says regarding ADA. I would request reasonable accommodation and be sure they have FMLA form from you. You need to keep this job until you have 70% plus SC disability rating. It will then be much easier to get TDIU if you are fired. Don't resign or quit. If they fire you they have to give a reason and that reason will probably help you get TDIU and SSD down the road. If they know they can easily push your buttons to get you to go off the deep end they will probably do it so they can hire Uncle Joe or girlfriend to fill your job.

[Berta]

Great advise.

I mentioned here before that I helped my husband win the first ADA case here in NY.

His employer was well aware of his SC disability when he was hired (after filing about 20 DOL complaints against the company.)

They had about 6 hundred employees and only one disabled vet employee,who they canned 6 months before his retirement date on a trumed u charge.

Most large employers are covered by the ADA.

They must be aware of your 'handicap" ( disability) and make reasonable accommodations to you.

My husband ,after his hire, requested no accomodations and his performance apraisals were good. Then the Company had a temp layoff and he was first one laid off, then one other guy got laid off after him.

The ADA law applies to layoffs and rehires after the lay offs so he was first in line, after the lay off but they hired back the other guy and never contacted him.

Under ADA the compay was found liable and had to pay him some cash.

I had experience with 38 USC Section 2012 and Section 2014 and the so called Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Act of 1974 as well.

It all sucked........DOL had oversight but they did nothing to really investigate possible discrimination against Vietnam veterans.

ADA told me that the DOL complaints we filed with evidence, should have prompted a discrimination finding long before we filed under ADA as soon as that became law.

John said:

"If they know they can easily push your buttons to get you to go off the deep end they will probably do it so they can hire Uncle Joe or girlfriend to fill your job."

I still have documentation on how the VA does that stuff.

My husband worked for the VA too but before the hire , VA made such an egregous hiring error (hired relative of a worker whose qualifications didnt match what OPM had stated my husband's were ) that I had to give the director of the VAMC an ultimatum he could not refuse to comply with.

About 3 hours after I left the VA, the director called here to tell him he had been hired. Scuttlebutt a few weeks later was that the personnel director had been canned.

BTW the vet that the above company ,(touting all the time they hire disabled veterans) canned ,was a Navy Seal, who lost a limb in Vietnam.

So much for our grateful nation's employers . I helped him go after them on discrimination but he crapped out the very day he had a deposition with them. I was ready to go with him.

I know it was his PTSD and the stress of losing his job that completely devastated his ability to fight back.

But he applied for TDIU and SSDI and he made out with all that OK.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Berta