Americas Heroes at Work Helps Veterans With Online Resources for Employers

A RAND Corp. study stated that approximately 300,000 veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq have come back home with mental health problems and head injuries. These problems can lead to others, including flashbacks, headaches, short-term memory loss and depression. In order to alleviate the stigma of these problems and help veterans in the workplace, the U.S. Department of Labor recently launched America’s Heroes at Work, a website for employers that focuses on the challenges they may encounter after hiring returning service members. America’s Heroes at Work Talks About PTSD to Employers America’s Heroes at Work is an initiative designed to educate employers on the severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Managed by the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy and the Veterans’ Employment and Training Service, along with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Education and the Department of Defense, America’s Heroes at Work is one of the first initiatives toward educating the workplace about veterans with PTSD. More About America’s Heroes at Work The website provides information regarding PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Employers can find out about the disorders, as well as ways to help make the workplace more accommodating for employees who may be suffering from it. The site also has the phone number for the Job Accommodation Network, which employers can call to get help with individual veterans with disabilities. Additionally, America’s Heroes at Work has tools for job coaching and mentoring programs that can help foster a positive environment at work for both veterans and civilians. Hence, not only is the office able to accept and aid those with PTSD, but also others who have suffered traumatic events in their life. Helping Veterans With PTSD and TBI One of the best ways for veterans to transition back to civilian life is through structure and dependability in the workplace, and that includes having employers understand what it means to suffer from PTSD and TBI. Some employers have been hesitant to hire veterans, while some ex-service members find it hard to work in certain environments, especially if it could trigger a memory. The symptoms that service members post military suffer from PTSD are manageable and can go away over time. Accommodating veterans with a few changes in their schedule, such as rest breaks for TBI victims, make a big difference. By educating employers, the stigma attached to PTSD can start to diminish, thereby leaving veterans free to do their new job as proudly as they did their old one. Comments (0) Show/Hide comments Write comment Show/Hide comment form Name Email Website Title Comment Add Comment