'able To Maintain Gainful Meaningful Employment....'

[brokensoldier244th]

What is VA's definition of this, with RE: to MH rating, such as 'occasional' vs 'severe' ?

I lost 1 job in 2011-was diagnosed by VA MH as severe depression/MDD Recurrant-2 months later with sale of company I was not kept. Had had problems with customers and coworkers relations, which is what prompted me to seek a MH referral. Unemployed for 4 months after, then next job, still adjusting to MH and meds, same field (IT Support/engineering) lost 10 months later for similar reasons. Currently just passed 1 rocky year here, 38 absenses, write ups, over the first year, currently on a 6 month performance improvement path that has 2 outcomes only.

I can't be moved to a different job with no client contact in the dept that I work in-im already somewhat sequestered from cust contact and I take reduced cases already. Currently rated 50%.

Still in counseling with monthly or so Psych med evals. Seretraline has gone from 50-100-150, currently 200mg in the last 2 years.

Excerpt from my most recent treatment notes say,

"Veteran has been working with Dr.F for MDD, recurrent, and Dr.

RE for mood and anxiety symptoms as it relates to work. Veteran

describes history of mood problems over at least last 4-5 years that have

become progressively worse. States he has trouble getting along with clients

and co-workers, is impatient and irritable, becomes angry easily and these

behaviors have caused him to lose at least two jobs and caused conflicts at

home. His situation is further complicated by a chronic back pain condition

that occured during the military.

Edited March 13, 2014 by brokensoldier244th

[lotzaspotz]

If you've been employed continuously for 12 months, you've worked at least 1,250 hours, and you employer employs at least 50 people at your location, you are eligible to apply for FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) protection for up to 12 weeks per 12 month period. There is continuous FMLA if you need to take consecutive days off to deal with your disabilities, or intermittent FMLA if you take time off here and there, say for VAMC appointments/sessions. I don't know if that helps you, but I though I'd mention it. My husband used it when he was employed because he needed the protection from being absent for treatment at the VAMC.

Edited March 16, 2014 by lotzaspotz

[Tbird]

brokensoldier -

a couple of things, check out your long term disability insurance plan, just in case you need it, it will give you peace of mind to know what it will and will not do.

• About disability insurance from your job. I also paid extra for Long Term Disability Insurance and it paid for 2 years only for mental conditions or for life if it was physical.
• If your private insurance does pay it probably will have a deal where whatever SSDI that is Social Security Disability you get they will want from you it's an offset.
• So make sure you know the facts before pursuing that.

Pain is very depressing and it is very hard for people to understand. I just went from 200 mg of Serequel which I had been on for a few years to Celexa 40 mg. Celexa works for me much better, but in another couple of years I may need to change it again, it is the nature of the beast I've been on several different ones.

[brokensoldier244th]

Amen to that. Ill poke around. I should probably talk to HR, hmm. Ive ALWAYS been cautious about that. Ive known a few people that went the temporary FMLA route and it just caused them more problems. The D/D insurance is part of my overall CIGNA insurance, but I pay a little extra on top of it for the amount. It may only cover if I opt to have surgery for my lower back, though.

[jbasser]

If I were you I would start to prepare for the day I cannot work. Does your company offer disability insurance or disability retirement? Unless you want to go through hell waiting for TDIU or 100% I would try very hard to save some money. If you own a house get a pre-approved home equity line of credit. Any vet who is having trouble staying employed should start to plan for their disability retirement. Even when you get the facts lined up for a good TDIU claim it often takes a year or longer to get it. What do you do in the meantime while you have no income? I remember when I was fired from my last job I had an active claim in for an increased rating. The dumb ass C&P exam doctor said in his report that he could not make a judgment on my "employability" because I was unemployed. This delayed by TDIU by about 18 months.

Jbasser

That magic pill assumes that soldiers reactions to war can just be blotted out with no other side effects. Yes, and if we could have an army of robots and not humans we could also do away with humanity. All this will probably get to the course the Roman Empire took which was just to hire non-Romans to do their fighting for them. This also lead to the downfall of Rome. Our empire is on the same course since not many citizens want to fight for it. Only the poor, uneducated and ill advised put on a uniform in time of war in these days. Not many rich or well educated kids fighting in Afghanistan. That was true in Vietnam as well.

Your right john, but giving how the VA is to jump on the bandwagon of it feels it can cut some of us deadbeat vets off the payroll. This issue if far from over. Other Groups are extremely jealous of us. Do your neighbors know your VA status, Take a Vet in his 40's at 100 percent driving a High Dollar Auto and don't go to work?The neighbors will be talking. The future for US is definitely uncertain. We all are casualties, It is just taking us longer to die.

J

[brokensoldier244th]

at least in our case we have 6 and 10 yr old autos. As for whether or not I work or don't, its really none of their *neighbors* business. We don't live in a close knit neighborhood except a few of our neighbors and up the street that know our kids and vice versa. Those that need to know know because they are friends. Everyone else can go hang it.

Edited March 18, 2014 by brokensoldier244th

[lotzaspotz]

Suit yourself, but FMLA has saved many a person's job when they became ill or disabled. So did the ADA for accommodation requests. I'm in HR and will tell you that throwing away a tool that could help you because you don't want to deal with unspecified additional problems (problems worse than getting fired?) is not a strategy I recommend. I'm on intermittent FMLA myself, and it's not that big a deal.