Recovery, Work & What Next?

[cat]

A question to those who consider themselves in recovery.

I consider myself in recovery now & managing my symptoms well, stress levels much lower, some depression & anxiety but nothing like I was 3 yrs ago when it was very obvious to others that I had a mental health problem.

My problem now is that my employers think as I've finished therapy & working full time I'm fine & can't understand that I still have to manage symptoms on a daily basis. I had a meeting with them yesterday to discuss my sick leave absence & report from Occupational health which was requested when I had 3 wks off at the beginning of the year, I have also developed a lung problem yet to be diagnosed, probably asthma, which is causing me to take time off.

They have requested that I aim for 100% attendance & have given me until the end of June show an improvement, as when I'm off they have to pay a supply teacher to cover my classes. I'm very worried now that I'm in danger of losing my job as I cannot guarantee that but don't feel my ptsd would be covered by the Disability Act.

How do you manage your symptoms? Do you manage to work without taking sick leave? Any one covered by the uk disability act.
I'd be grateful for any suggestions or experiences.

 

[timetorecover]

Hello, I am unable to help but will watch this space to see who can. It is a very relevant subject for me.

I am in recovery too and finding working a real struggle. Hat off to you working as a teacher, that must be tough.

Good luck!!

 

[Ted Moen]

PTSD became covered by the American Disabilities Act in April 1997. If you have the formal diagnosis and are working, your employer is required to make reasonable accommodation for your needs. I worked for years with time off during work hours to participate in therapy, and days off now and then due to stress. When I participated in an inpatient program that lasted slightly over 100 days, my employer asked me to cooperate in a disability retirement, which I agreed to, primarily because in the course of the inpatient program it became pretty clear workplace stress triggered my PTSD symptoms at a level beyond that which was manageable and healthy for me. The disability retirement process supported my SSD claim, and I do volunteer work (mentoring elementary kids) to feel involved and productive.

Ted

 

[cat]

Thanks for your replies. It really helps to know there are others out there with the same experiences.

Is there anyone from the UK who is registered disabled with PTSD, I have been advised to do this by my Union this morning. Worried about this as have tried not to see ptsd as a disability rather something i have to live with & manage.

 

[cherryblossom]

Hi Cat

When I was off work, I was told that PTSD is covered by the UK disability act. (I was told this by numerous professionals - my GP, Occupational Health, CPN, Occupational Therapist).

When I went back to work, I too was told I had to have 100% attendance, but for 6 months!! I managed it, but in my opinion the 'system' that they use to 'manage sickness', is completely ridiculous. How can you possibly avoid catching a chest infection, or a stomach bug and guarantee that you won't be ill for 3 or 6 months?

However, if that is their policy (which will have been drawn up with legal guidance, you can't avoid it.

I suspect, (being employed in the public sector, as I am) your employers sickness policy will be very similar to ours, which basically lays out certain 'trigger points' over a rolling 12 month period. For example (and this really is, just an example)

• three or more absences in any three-month period
• six or more absences in any 12-month period
• 14 working days absence in any 12-month period.

If you hit a 'trigger point', you are then on a 'review period', where you will have a meeting and be set goals, such as you have been set (however, there should also be exceptions, such as a maximum of 2 consecutive days off within that period). This would be 'stage one'. There should be up to 4 stages, before you reach dismissal stage, so don't panic just yet!

Firstly, if you haven't already done so, get copies of your employers 'sickness policy', or 'management of attendance policy', or whatever your employers call it - so that you know exactly where you stand and what is expected of you, with regards to your attendance at work. Also get copies of their discrimination policy, their bullying policy, and any other policy that might be relevant. These should all be easily available to you, possibly on an intranet site, or from your HR.

Personally, I would stay away from registering yourself disabled at this stage. It's still early days, with regard to your absence from work. But check with the policies, what 'stage' of their sickness policy you currently fall into. You should also have been given some paperwork, from your meeting, which should state your current position with in their policy.

The reason I say not to register yourself as disabled at this point, is because, in my opinion, it is still something they can use against you. Occupational health can make suggestions to your employer, for reasonable adjustments to your workplace to improve your ability to remain in your current role.

However, as far as I understand it, if OH can see no way forward, ie, there are no changes to your work environment that will see you attending work at the level that is acceptable, then your employment can be terminated on the grounds of incapability. But that is seriously a last place scenario - if you were off sick, and OH could see no way of you being capable to return to work in your current role, and no alternative role is available to you.

For now, I would find out exactly what you employers sickness policy is. And also try to find out how registering yourself as disabled, at this point could be of beneficial for you. If your employers know you have PTSD, and know that this diagnosis does fall under the disability discrimination act - that should be enough for them to try to do whatever it takes to keep you employed. But, at the end of the day, they want people to be at work every bloomin day of the year. I can only see registering as disabled being of benefit to you, if they were seriously considering terminating your employment. (But maybe I'm too cynical!)

All this is just my opinion, based on my (mean!) employers. Good luck (((cat)))