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PTSD can happen in the workplace

On Behalf of | Dec 20, 2020 | Employment Law |

When a Pasadena area resident goes to work each day they don’t expect to be traumatized by their job. Unfortunately, there are jobs when a person faces unexpected trauma at work, and this can cause life-long distress.

Facebook moderators claim PTSD

One example of workplace trauma comes from Facebook. Moderators at Facebook claimed they suffered mental distress because of their jobs. The moderators who worked in California, Texas, Arizona and Florida recently reached a $52 million dollar settlement in which they will receive payments for the mental health issues they suffered because of their job. The moderators had viewed extreme material as part of their job of reviewing reported Facebook posts. This material included suicides, beheadings, nudity, and other violent and harrowing footage. The mental trauma that many of these moderators have faced is indescribable and the workers have suffered real and severe harm in the form of PTSD. Besides the settlement, Facebook has changed the videos their moderators review by showing them in black and white and automatically muting them. Moderators will also have access to mental health professionals and group counseling sessions.

Employment law

Any job that requires their employees to tackle mentally traumatic tasks should be held accountable. If an employee believes their job is causing them mental distress, they may want to discuss their options with an attorney who specializes in employment law. An attorney can investigate the circumstances surrounding the events and help their client understand their options.

It is important for an employer to understand how the tasks they ask their employees to complete can cause mental distress. Although this is a rare occurrence, employees should not feel scared to reach out and get help using the legal system to hold their employer accountable.