OutSolve’s EEO colleague, Toni Ahl, is an occasional contributor to our blog. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to Toni and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of OutSolve or its employees.
Veteran's Day is November 11. Some cities celebrate the day with parades. Some employers have programs to recognize the veterans in their workplaces. Many employers now have employee resources groups for veterans. Regardless of what you do, we all should be grateful for the sacrifice our veterans and their families have made.
It's often hard for veterans to return to their lives as civilians. Some have physical issues due to their service while others have mental issues related to their service. The Department of Veterans Affairs identified that veterans may experience mental health issues including depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), anxiety and traumatic brain injury. The most common of these is depression. These health issues can also lead to additional issues including dementia, sleep difficulties, hypervigilance, flashbacks, and intrusive thoughts. Of course, not all veterans are affected by these issues, but many are. Veterans may experience trauma from combat, training accidents and military sexual trauma.
Veteran suicide rates are alarming. The Veterans Administration estimates that 22 veterans per day commit suicide. The amounts to over 8,000 veterans who take their own lives each year. Of these, over 5,500 of the 8,000 are age 50 or older, according to the VA.
Families of service members are affected by their service also. When service members are deployed, the other spouse must step up and handle all the family responsibilities at home. This may be especially tricky if both spouses are service members. The divorce rate for service members is higher than the national average. If there are children, the trauma of divorce may affect them. I point out all these issues to say that we need to let our veterans know that we appreciate the sacrifices that they and their families have made.
As employers, understanding some of the issues your employees who are veterans or family members of veterans may be very important. Having available resources for employees is a great way to show you are aware of the issues they may be facing and you care about providing assistance to help them deal with the problems.
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, provides protections to employees who have physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more major life activities. There is still a stigma for employees who may have mental impairments so they may not be comfortable asking for the assistance they need. Providing reasonable accommodation to employees unless it causes an undue hardship is required by the ADA. If the employee is a direct threat to themselves or others due to their disability, the employer may not be required to accommodate them, however, the direct threat cannot be based on a stereotype or fear of the employer.
Finding a way to recognize the veterans in your organization is a great way to remember their service. Let's all thank veterans and their families for the sacrifices they have made for everyone. If your organization has questions about the ADA or any of the statutes that the EEOC enforces, feel free to reach out to me at eeoadvantage@gmail.com.