Trauma at work

Being caught up in a serious accident or emergency at work can leave you shaken for weeks. NIOSH notes that some people react right away, while others don’t notice reactions until weeks or months later.

OSHA defines workplace violence as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening behavior at the work site.

Workers OSHA lists as at higher risk

• Delivery, taxi and ride-share drivers
• Healthcare and social service workers
• Law enforcement
• People who handle money with the public
• People who work alone, late at night or in isolated places
• Public service and customer service workers

The EEOC describes harassment as unwelcome conduct based on things like race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability. It becomes illegal when it is severe or common enough to create a hostile workplace, or when putting up with it becomes a condition of keeping your job.

Being harassed day after day can wear down your sense of safety the way a single shocking event can.

In a 2023 national survey, 19% of U.S. workers said their workplace was toxic. They were much more likely to say their mental health had suffered.

Research shows losing a job unexpectedly can affect people’s mental and physical well-being, families and even children, not only their income.

Some jobs mean taking in other people’s trauma day after day, like journalism, content moderation, interpreting or aid work. That builds up in its own way.

Fatigue, nausea, headaches, sweating and jaw clenching are common. See a clinical provider if they last or get worse.

You may find it hard to concentrate or remember things, or have nightmares. Brief episodes often pass. If they keep going or get in the way of daily life, ask for help.

NIOSH says recurring thoughts or flashbacks are normal after an incident and usually fade over time.

Strong feelings are common. If distress lasts several weeks or gets in the way of daily life, reach out to a mental health professional.

You may notice intense anger, withdrawing from people, outbursts, restlessness, changes in appetite, or drinking more than usual.

Living on high alert all day can leave you drained, jumpy or numb by the time you get home. Your body is doing its job of watching for danger, but it can’t rest.

The Surgeon General’s framework lists “mattering at work” as one of its five essentials for workplace mental health. People need to feel that their work and their presence count.

Seeing coworkers mistreated, and nobody stepping in, can leave you feeling unsafe too. It sends the message that it could be you next.

Feeling numb, confused or unable to think straight in the first days is common. It is your mind taking in something big.

Research links job loss to social withdrawal, not just money worries. Losing coworkers and daily routine can feel like a kind of grief.

Coworkers who keep their jobs may feel relief mixed with guilt, worry that they are next, and grief for colleagues who left. These feelings deserve attention too.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with mental health conditions such as PTSD may be able to get reasonable accommodations at work.

Examples the EEOC gives

• A quiet workspace or noise-reducing devices
• Adjusted breaks or schedule, such as time for therapy appointments
• Changes in how a supervisor gives instructions
• Permission to work from home
• Specific shift assignments
• In some cases, unpaid leave or moving to a vacant job

The EEOC says you can usually keep a diagnosis private. If you ask for an accommodation, your employer may ask for some information, and it must be kept confidential.

The Family and Medical Leave Act lets eligible workers take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave in a 12-month period for qualifying reasons, including a serious health condition. Eligibility depends on your employer’s size and how long you’ve worked there.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) takes complaints about unsafe working conditions. You can call 1-800-321-OSHA (1-800-321-6742) or file online at osha.gov.

OSHA recommends that employers have a zero-tolerance policy for workplace violence and make sure every report is investigated promptly.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) handles discrimination and harassment charges. Call 1-800-669-4000 (TTY 1-800-669-6820) or visit eeoc.gov.

Deadlines matter. You generally have 180 days to file a charge, or 300 days if a state or local law also covers your employer. It is illegal to punish you for contacting the EEOC.

The EEOC says employers generally can’t fire you, refuse to hire you or force you onto leave because of a mental health condition. Harassment because of a disability is also illegal.

Write down what happened, when, where and who was there. Keep copies of emails or reports somewhere outside work systems if that is allowed.