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Has Anyone Told Possible Employers They Have Ptsd?

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Ellabella44

MyPTSD Pro
I am currently trying to find a job. I have done well with the cat shelter I have volunteered at for over a year now and I feel the right work environment (such as the environment at the shelter) could help me feel functional and I could thrive there.

I tried a local florist recently and the owner was hostile and never saw me in the workplace environment. He is at another store he owns and did not see how I dealt with customers, cashiered, and kept up with phone orders on their busiest mothers day week ever.

I survived the week and did more than I thought I was capable of!! but the lack of time to train arranging in the manner the owner wants hurt me. Hes a yeller over the phone and my anxiety only went up this past week and I left.

Has anyone told that they have PTSD in order to get accomodations listed in the ADA for it? I am wondering if asking for them to start with will help me have a better environment in which to work.
 
I think that if you ask for accommodations before you're hired that you'll greatly reduce your chances of being hired given the immense amount of stigma surrounding mental illness. Of course if you're working through a job placement agency that extends services based on disability status, things are a bit different.
 
I've never mentioned it, but hadn't been diagnosed the last time I worked for someone else. (I'm self employed) So I can't directly answer the question, but...
I am wondering if asking for them to start with will help me have a better environment in which to work.
I think, if you're going to need some kind of accommodation, and you know that going in, it's only fair to the employer that you mention it up front. Which, of course, gives them the chance to not hire you. I don't think something like "Please don't yell at me" is the kind of thing that works as an accommodation though. There, I think you just need to know yourself and check things out as well as possible, and avoid taking jobs for difficult people. (As one example.) I think you did the right thing with the florist. And, I'd bet he has a hard time keeping help. No one likes to be yelled at.

What do you see as being the kinds of accommodations you'd need?
 
I think it will be difficult if you tell them. I didn't know when I started my job. ...but I didn't tell my current boss because he might see it as a weakness and he doesn't have too much trust in my abilities either way.

I only tell it to people at work when I really trust them. It helps me to have a great T and to have one or two people at work who know what's going on - and can support if necessary. It's a really difficult matter.
 
some time to aclimate to my environment. establishing the place as safety. time to learn procedures they follow. patience while I learn and get up to speed. patience if I get anxious. I wasnt given that at the florist.

I am looking for somewhere I can make a functional place to be. When I am focussed and experiencing the good stress of being busy, I do great and get things done. I shut down at screaming unfortunately. I do well with teachable moments, constuctive criticism ( heres a better way to do what you did) I did get that from the store manager who tried to train me, and she and owners sister admitted hes hard on people and they have a high turnover because of him.

If I need something like soft calming music to keep my focus, I would want access to it. and thankfully its listed in ADA. which is why im thinking of asking for that type of thing.

for me it has to be the type of environment I have at the cat shelter. The place I volunteer has a cat room inside a pet supply store. Once I aclimated to the people there and was treated with some patience I bloomed and improved. they knew I have PTSD since some behaviors I couldnt hide when I started.
 
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I am going to a state offered job coaching monday, maybe they will have some resources for me. my thought on ADA was well some things I cant hide like when I get seriously anxious I put my fist to my forehead, not pounding mind you, yes i see it as a silly visual of knocking myself in the head.

my eye contact takes off as well to the point that someone who doesnt know me might think im not listening.

When I feel safe, these things happen less often and I am productive.

my goal is not to play the sympathy card, but to have patience and safety as an accomodation
 
I wish I could disagree with @EveHarrington but I think she's dead on with that assessment of prospective employer's.

I am sure there are employer's out there that would, but I wouldn't know how to identify them.

I have a boss who sends my anxiety through the roof, I know how tough it is to deal with.

If it wasn't for the paycheque, I would have quit my job long ago, just because of that guy.
 
i dont know how to identify them eiether. thought I would maybe try doing this with the workplaces that make a point that they are ADA compliant. (americans with dissabilities act which requires accomodations for disabled employees for anyone not in the states)
 
@Ocean5 lol was just about to post that link, my other accomodations are on that list as well. some of the things like the noise cancelling headphone would help me as well as being able to use written instructions / cheat sheets for equipment or procedures I am currently unfamiliar with. finding that site is what prompted my question and made me consider outing myself. :)
 
Has anyone told that they have PTSD in order to get accomodations listed in the ADA for it?

No, and why would I hire you if you need accomendations off the bat?

Yes, its against the law for them to not hire you because you have PTSD but it is not illegal for them to hire one that doesnt have it or need accomendations over you thats asking for it accomendations. Now if you tell them you have it but can do all job duties and dont need accemdations thats another story but why would you even tell them then?

Id say no, it would ruin any chance to get a job. Use FMLA after you have the job, thats what its there for. And know your rights.

But also written in ADA is "you must he able to preform all job functions". An accomedation means you cannot do so which is not illegal for them to say no due to that.
 
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You can sometimes request ADA accomodations without ever telling them a diagnosis. Contact the ADA technical assistance center in your area for the best info on how to do that. For more info, check out: https://adata.org/

When I was a supervisor at my old job, I preffered to work with people who told me of accomodations needs after they were hired. It meant they were willing to ask for what they needed to do their job well. I don't see people with disabilities as people who work less hard or do less of a good job.

Not everyone shares that view. I don't know if I will disclose PTSD to future employers.

I think the situation you are dealing with in terms of a boss who is unprofessional and yelling and poor training would be hard and stressful for people without PTSD. :hug:
 
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