Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In The Workplace: Should You Inform Your Employer If You Have PTSD?

While certain factors, like a previous history of trauma and social isolation, can increase the risk that someone will go on to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after a traumatic event, anyone — of any age, ethnic background, or socioeconomic status — can be struck by PTSD. The condition doesn't, ultimately, "discriminate".  

Your employer or potential employer might, though — and deciding whether or not to disclose PTSD at work, you have a real dilemma on your hands. 

You'll have several questions to consider, and may be wondering:

• Are you legally obliged to tell your employer if you have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder?
• Are you covered by disability laws, as someone with PTSD?
• Is your employer legally obliged to make accomodations for you because of your PTSD?
• Will I be fired or not hired if I mention my PTSD?
• What are the benefits of telling my employer? What are the disadvantages?

Why employers might prefer not to have workers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder

Yes, some of it boils down to stigma and prejudice, about mental illnesses in general and PTSD in particular — maybe especially if you don't happen to be a combat veteran or someone else who wound up with PTSD in the line of duty. Employers, who are, after all, mostly in it for the money by definition, also have legitimate reasons to be concerned about employing people who live with post-traumatic stress disorder, however. 

Research shows, for instance, that:

• People with PTSD are absent from work more often than others. 
• Workers who have PTSD need more time off for medical appointments. 
• A majority of people with PTSD also suffer from another mental health condition, such as major depressive disorder or an anxiety disorder. 
• People with post-traumatic stress disorder are more likely to attempt suicide. 

Add the fact that many people with post-traumatic stress disorder are either only able to work part-time or find themselves unable to work at all, and it's not that difficult to understand why a company you interview with may prefer to hire someone equally qualified in your place, even if you don't believe any of these things apply to you. 

Before you decide whether to disclose your PTSD, inform yourself about the law in your country

Many countries now have strong laws to protect disabled people against discrimination. 

In the UK, for instance, the Equality Act 2010 defines disability as a "physical or mental impairment that has a 'substantial' and 'long-term' negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities". In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act serves the same purpose, defining disability as a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment". 

This means that PTSD would qualify as a disability in these countries and others with similar laws, and that may grant you certain rights. They'll vary from place to place, but may include:

• You may be able to receive disability benefits if you are unable to work due to debilitating PTSD in your jurisdiction.
• If you can work, you may be protected from discrimination, including dismissal (being fired) because of your condition. In the UK, for example, there was even a case where an employment tribunal found that firing someone with PTSD for their angry outbursts constituted disability discrimination. Countries with such laws will usually also ban employers from not hiring on the grounds of disability, but this is much harder to enforce, since employers can simply say another person was a better fit for the job. To claim coverage under disability discrimination laws, you'll have to disclose your disability.
• You may be entitled to certain accommodations for your disability. This, however, requires disclosing your condition — if your employer doesn't know you have PTSD, they cannot be expected to make accommodations, either. If you do want accommodations, you will almost certainly be asked to prove your disability with documentation. Depending on where you are, you may only need to prove how your PTSD impacts you at work, rather than detailing your diagnosis. 
• In many places, employers aren't legally allowed to ask you whether you have a mental or physical health condition, but they are certainly allowed to ask whether you'll be able to perform all tasks in your job description.

If you developed PTSD after work-related trauma, as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, first responder, or in the military, you may also be entitled to compensation.

How telling your employer about your PTSD may make things easier at work

The American Psychological Association's Center for Workplace Mental Health offers employers some guidelines that can help them make their workplaces more PTSD-friendly in ways that don't impact them negatively, benefiting both companies and workers. Such accommodations include:

• Offering flexi-schedules that make it easier for people with PTSD and other physical and mental health conditions to attend medical appointments when they need to, without disrupting their work routines.
• PTSD sufferers with marked memory issues or trouble focusing may benefit from extra written instructions and reminders to help them complete tasks. 
• Noise-cancelling headphones can help some people with PTSD reduce triggers that may cause intrusive memories and startle responses, but allowing these can also, for instance, help autistic employees. 
• Removal of environmental triggers where reasonable.
• Though the APA didn't mention it, telecommuting, where possible, may be of great help as well. 
• The APA highlights how workers may be affected by PTSD en masse after large-scale events like terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or workplace shootings. They actually advise against requiring or strongly encouraging workers to attend workplace-based support groups, which could make people very uncomfortable, and instead suggest referring employees to community-based resources. 

If you're lucky, you'll end up in a workplace sensitive to the needs of trauma survivors with PTSD, and their understanding could make a big difference, allowing you to thrive at work. A supportive and understanding environment may even decrease your symptom severity. 

So... to tell or not to tell?

This is ultimately a very personal decision. You'll want to make the choice that allows you to put food on the table, of course, but it would be ideal if your work environment is one that also truly works — for both you and the company. Whether or not that requires your workplace to be aware of your condition will vary. 

From a purely psychological standpoint, it seems safer to inform an employer you've worked with for years than one you're just interviewing with. Even if you disclose that you have PTSD, you don't necessarily also have to mention what kind of trauma led to it — and informing your boss, the HR department, or anyone else directly responsible for workplace accommodations doesn't need to mean that your whole workplace knows.