I have a question about employment and ptsd. Again! Please give honest answers if responding, not the answer you feel you ought to give. I need some straight talking...

1. Would you employ someone with ptsd where the job requires working alone with minors (16-18year olds).

2. If you discovered that an employee was working unsupervised with 16-18 year-olds and had been diagnosed with ptsd, what would you want to do about it?

3. Would it make any difference if this employee had a good employment record since being with the company (2 years) and had never acted inappropriately, even during the months leading up to ptsd diagnosis when the employee maintained all aspects of the job to required standards?

Thanks for your feedback.

Piglet.

Piglet, this is all speculation for me since I've only supervised once. And it was in a fast food joint. Honestly? I don't know about the first question. IT would depend on where that person is in their recovery, and what other factors make up that person.

I don't think AGE of who they are working with has anything to do with it. When I first read your questions, it seemed like instead of PTSD, it was a person who once was charged/convicted of molestation. So, for me, overall, I would have to think about the first question since I would know about the PTSD before hand. But if I already had that person as my employee, then I would help them as much as I could to have them recover.

All of these questions are going to be answered by PTSD'ers though Piglet. I, for one, know the benefits that come with recovering from ptsd. So of course, I would be more open to it.

Piglet, have you answered these questions? Would you hire someone with ptsd?

Now for the third question, if that person had a perfect record and only looked at the facts, (ie. being absent, work performance, tardiness, etc) there is nothing that I would be able to do to "fire" that person. Besides, why would I want to when they are dependable, honest, hard working person?

Thanks Nam. They ARE hard questions!

My answers?

1. It would depend on good references and my gut feeling from interviewing them - which is pretty much how I would treat anyone appling for a job.

2. I would want to be reassured that the person is receiving treatment/support and that I understood how they might need support in the workplace. I would probably want to get medical reports and do a risk assessment for the record.

3. It would help a lot if I knew that person had good coping strategies, and this might be indicated by previous good employment record. I would still want a risk assessment and medical reports though.

Basically, I would want reassurance that the person could do the job and wasn't going to have issues that might leave my company open for being sued. I would want to be sure that the minors are not at risk. If the risk assessments and medical reports came back saying there is no significant risk, then I would be satisfied. I think.

It's a horrible situation, but it's one that I'm at the wrong end of and I'm trying to understand it from an employer's point of view.

If going on a job interview do you have to disclose that you have PTSD? .. I would imagine not unless it directly affects your job performance. I agree with Nam about age of who they are working with not being a factor though.

1. No, not knowingly, because I would not feel it was a good canidate having potential problems arise. But we have laws about disabilities here and it would never hit a resume.
2. It would be based on their past performance, how long on the job, if they were still on a probationary period... was it effecting their job performace and what they were hired to do. If you can't do the job then I would have to terminate to find someone who could.
3. It would make all the difference in the world.

I am sorry you are having to go through so much BS and it should have never even come to light if you did what you should be. It is just a load of horse snot and my heart goes out to you!

Yes. I'd base it more on job qualifications and employment history than medical history. I would not require the applicant to disclose that he has PTSD; for myself, there are only 2 people at work who know I have it: my direct-line manager and the head nurse in Employee Health Services

I wouldn't do anything unless said employee was having issues with job performance. Once again, it is none of my business until it becomes my business or my employee wants to disclose his condition to me.

To me, it does. To consider the employee's present behavior in a vacuum is unfair and narrow. No one is perfect, and everyone has conditions that can affect job performance at one time or another.

Yes I would employ a person with PTSD, and it would have nothing to do with what age group they are working with, and purely performance and experience based.

Nothing. If the person is doing their job, then there is no issue. If the person fails to perform their job as employed, then warnings and dismissal would occur.

Yes, employment history and past experience is most definately taken into consideration. From experience, if a subordinate was a good worker for years, then suddenly began doing out of character acts, I counsel them to find out what has changed within their life. For this to occur, something has always changed, its just a matter of asking the right questions. Once you have the impact within their life, which is usually debt or relationships, counsel them and help them to get control of the situation, then they become a happy worker once again and back on track in performance.

Every person has these ups and downs during their lifetime.

I have always viewed my workers like this for employment purposes:

1. They meet legal age requirements to work
2. They meet any legal qualification requirements to perform the job
3. They can physically perform the job

If a person was employing a checkout attendant, then multiple disabled persons would fit this criteria and be capable for employment. If the job required heavy manual labour, then employing a person within a wheelchair, or a person with significant back problems would not be suitable for this position.

Legalities > Qualifications > Physical Capability

I wish my employer was so understanding. Mind you - it's not about understanding, it's about fear and predjudice and the stigma of mental health issues.

EXACTLY. You've got it right, Piglet.

I actually worked in a group home with at risk teenage girls when I had ptsd. I wasnt diagnosed at the time, but the trauma accured while I worked there. I found that I eventually became unable to counsel the girls efectively. Although I did leave with very good references and they were sad to see me go.