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# JAN’S ACCOMMODATION FACT SHEET SERIES

**Job Accommodations for the People with Anxiety Disorders**

According to National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) “more than 19 million adult Americans ages 18 to 54 have anxiety disorders.”  These disorders include Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder with or without Agoraphobia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Social Phobia, and Specific Phobias (DSM-IV-TR, 2000).  Anxiety disorders are clinically distinct from transitional anxiety experienced during events such as a wedding, moving into a new home, dealing with the illness or death of a loved one, or beginning a new job.  Individuals with anxiety disorders may experience feelings of panic; extreme physical, mental, or emotional stress; and intense fear.  Due to the highly individualized nature of psychiatric disabilities, anxiety disorders can present in numerous ways, and significantly impact the functionality of individuals with this disability.

The following is a quick overview of some of the job accommodations that might be useful for employees with anxiety disorders. For a more in depth discussion, access JAN's publications at http://askjan.org/media/atoz.htm.  To discuss an accommodation situation with a consultant, contact JAN directly.

**Difficulty Handling Stress and Emotions:**

· Provide praise and positive reinforcement

· Refer to counseling and employee assistance programs

· Allow telephone calls during work hours to doctors and others for needed support 

· Provide sensitivity training to coworkers

· Allow the employee to take a break to use stress management techniques to cope with frustration

**Attendance Issues:**

· Provide flexible leave for health problems

· Provide a self-paced work load and flexible hours

· Allow employee to work from home 

· Provide part-time work schedule

## Dealing with Change: 

· Recognize that a change in the office environment or of supervisors may be difficult for a person with an anxiety disorder 

· Maintain open channels of communication between the employee and the new and old supervisor to ensure an effective transition

· Provide weekly or monthly meetings with the employee to discuss workplace issues, and productions levels 

**Working Effectively with Supervisors:**

· Provide positive praise and reinforcement

· Provide written job instructions 

· Develop written work agreements that include the agreed upon accommodations, clear expectations of responsibilities, and the consequences of not meeting performance standards

· Allow for open communication to managers and supervisors

· Establish written long term and short term goals 

· Develop strategies to deal with problems before they arise

· Develop a procedure to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodation

# Interacting with Coworkers:

· Educate all employees on their right to accommodations

· Provide sensitivity training to coworkers and supervisors

· Do not mandate employees attend work related social functions

· Encourage employees to move non-work related conversations out of work areas

**Resources Specifically for People with Anxiety Disorders**

**Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation**Boston University940 Commonwealth Avenue West2nd FloorBoston, MA 02215Direct: (617)353-3549Fax: (617)353-7700kfurlong@bu.eduhttp://www.bu.edu/cpr

**National Alliance for the Mentally Ill**3803 N. Fairfax Dr., Ste. 100

Arlington, VA 22201-3402Toll Free: (800)950-6264Direct: (703)524-7600TTY: (703)516-7227Fax: (703)524-9094campaign@nami.orghttp://www.nami.org

**National Institute of Mental Health**Science Writing, Press, and Dissemination Branch6001 Executive Blvd, Room 8184, MSC 9663Bethesda, MD 20892-9663

Toll Free: (866)61564Direct: (301)443-4513

TTY Toll Free: (866)415-8051TTY: (301)443-8431Fax: (301)443-4279nimhinfo@nih.govhttp://www.nimh.nih.gov

**Mental Health America**2000 N Beauregard Street, 6th FloorAlexandria, VA 22311Toll Free: (800)969-6642Direct: (703)684-7722TTY: (800)433-5959Fax: (703)684-5968infoctr@nmha.orghttp://www.nmha.org

**References**

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). *Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental*

*Disorders*(4th ed. Text Revised). Washington, DC: Author

National Institute of Mental Health. (2001). *Facts about Anxiety Disorders.*  NIH  

           Publication No. OM-99 4152.  Retrieved November 18, 2005, from  

           http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adfacts.cfm

Updated 3/22/10.****

This document was developed by the Job Accommodation Network, funded by a contract agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (DOL079RP20426). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Job Accommodations for People with Anxiety Disorders

Fact Sheet Series