EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT MIGHT BE REQUIRED FOR A MENTALLY ILL
EMPLOYEE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL
Mental health is an ever-increasing
problem in the Canadian
workforce. With the protections
provided to employees,
through both privacy and human rights
legislation, many employers are reluctant
to inquire into the personal circumstances
of an employee, as they are unsure of
their legal right to do so. Thus, many
employers are oblivious to organizational
challenges caused, in some part, by
an employee’s state of mind. In cases of
legal words
mental health, however, employers may
have a legal duty to make inquiries.
The term “mental illness” encompasses
a wide range of conditions that can affect
an individual’s overall mood, thinking
and behaviour. Two of the most common
By Malcolm MacKillop and Hendrik Nieuwland
art4all/Shutterstock.com
Accommodating Mental Health
Disabilities in the Workplace
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ FEBRUARY 2016 ❚ 17