my job is too stressfull

homenow · Growing Guppy Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 43

I am a federal civilian employee. My job has become extremely stressful. Does anyone know if there's any way I could try to get placed in a less stressful situation?

I mean, I probably don't qualify for retirement disability, and I have been working full time, but it's sure taking its toll. I'm just barely hanging on Sad

I use my sick leave being sick. I use my annual leave trying to catch up on the things I should be doing on Saturdays but I can't because I need that day to rest--both from my methotrexate shot on Friday, and just cuz I need to rest Sad

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

MARYCAIN · King of the Jungle Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 1576

What Department are you in? Since you are civil service, you are covered by both the Americans with Disabilities Act, and FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act). The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is intended to help employees with disabilities obtain and keep work by obligating employers to provide "reasonable accomodations" to eligible employees. Reasonable accomodations depend on the individual's work situation, but could include a transfer to a different position, a flexible shift schedule, etc. The employer is not required to transfer an employee when there are no open positions available, or to provide accomodations that put an undue burden on the employer. FMLA provides that an employee can take a certain amouint of unpaid medical leave per year for personal or family illness.

Since you are in the civil service system, you will have to put any request for accomodations through the right "channels". You can start by talking with your supervisor to see what options are available. The employer doesn't have any obligation to create a "stress free" environment for you, since stress is a very individualized thing, and there is no way to guarantee that any given position will be "less stressful" than another. So the courts are very reluctant to order any employer to make a non-specific accomodation like "less stress". It's best to break down your job into all the essential functions, try to figure out exactly where the stress is coming from, and then figure out concrete things to ask for BEFORE you approach the employer. For example, if your position requires you to work overtime, or to work swing shifts, you could request a transfer to a position where no overtime was required. If your position were outdoors, you could request a transfer to an available position indoors - things like that. The more concrete and specific a request you can make, the harder it is for the employer to turn you down.

Good luck - hope this helps!

beth2300 · Sea Monkey Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Posts: 10

what if you work for an employer with less than 15 employees. Is there any laws for this

MARYCAIN · King of the Jungle Joined: 03 Aug 2006 Posts: 1576

A few states have laws comparable to ADA that apply to small employers, but generally, people working for a small business have very little legal protection. These employers are exempt from the accomodation requirements of ADA, since presumably they have fewer personnel and resources, so providing accomodations would present more of a burden. Many small employers will make accomodations in order to keep a valued employee, but legally, they have no obligation to do so in an "at will" employment state.