Chris Spaulding served as a deputy for the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for 14 years before he was terminated for exhausting his leave. Spaulding says he being treated for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and had claims with the Injured Workers Insurance Fund (IWIF), and that the department delayed the process.
 
Spaulding claims he had hearings before the IWIF but that those hearings were delayed and postponed until after his leave expired and he was terminated that day. He also says he was being treated for PTSD and hypertension, related to four incidents on the job.
 
“We would like to be able to share information regarding this case but personnel laws prohibit the agency from commenting at this time unless he authorizes us to discuss this information,” Media Relations Director Diane Richardson from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said.
 
Spaulding’s termination letter, dated April 19, 2012, states, “Unfortunately, the Sheriff is not able to offer you leave without pay status at this time. As you were previously notified last month when your police powers were suspended, you were required to return to performing your duties as a Deputy Sheriff upon the exhaustion of your leave, and after being released by your treating physician and completing a Fitness for Duty examination. As we have not heard from you further, and you have not completed a Fitness for Duty examination or returned to performing your duties, your employment with the agency was terminated.”
 
Spaulding has since asked the media and elected officials for help getting the word about his case out. He also hopes to get the word about PTSD out.
 
“In September, 2011 I was injured while I was off duty,” Spaulding said. “The injury required me to have surgery conducted to my shoulder. During that time frame I was placed in a ‘Not Fit for Duty’ status and was using my own sick leave so I could get paid and support my family. At the time I had requested to be protected under the Family Leave and Medical Act. This law protected me from losing my position in the department for up to 12 weeks. On, I believe, was December 12, 2011 my FMLA protection had expired and I remained in a ‘Not Fit for Duty’ status. I was forced to remain out of work because when I was being treated for my shoulder injury it was determined that I had uncontrolled hypertension, irregular EKG, and shortly after that I was diagnosed with severe PTSD, severe depressive disorder, and panic disorder. These disorders were brought on by several critical incidents I had been involved with while I worked for the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
 
“Based on the fact that all my conditions were related to my dedicated service to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, I submitted ‘Reports of Injury’ and I contacted a attorney and he filed claims with the Workman’s Compensation Commission, all while I was still out on

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