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Mental health discrimination by employers

I am currently filling in an occupational health questionnaire for my uni course and got into a conversation with someone who owns her own business about 'fitness for work'.

She said 'People who disclose even conditions like depression or anxiety might not be able to do the course, surely? Because how can they ever treat others with mental health problems, if they have issues themselves?'

So I asked her if she was an employer, how would she view someone who was living with a psychological disorder, but was maintaining any symptoms with medication and counselling. She told me that she wouldn't want to employ that person, because they are a constant risk.

Aren't all employees a constant risk?

Why do people not view physical health problems with as much negativity? This is incredibly confusing. I have chronic physcial illnesses that are risky in the sense that I could end up ill at any time and require time off work. But I have never experienced discrimination for it.

How many people actually feel this way?

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 1

Zargabaath

I agree with her a bit because I view mental health with the same seriousness as physical health. In the same way that someone with muscular dystrophy may not be cut out for physical work, someone who has serious anxiety problems when talking to people probably wont be the best person for a job in counselling. That said, if it's in the past and it's dealt with, I don't think it's right to discriminate.

There is definitely a greater stigma attached to mental health, most likely because people don't understand it as much as physical health.

Reply 2

KittyAnneR

Original post by Zargabaath

That's what I mean, if the issue is being maintained, then that's the same as a phsycial issue that's being treated. But the person I was talking to said that she wouldn't ever hire someone who had a history of mental illness, even if they are showing no current symptoms. It worries me how many people might think in this way.

Reply 3

the bear

employers are very risk averse; they will reject perfectly good candidates on the slenderest of evidence.

Reply 4

Zargabaath

Original post by KittyAnneR

That's what I mean, if the issue is being maintained, then that's the same as a phsycial issue that's being treated.

I disagree with this, I was being treated with anti depressants at one point and eventually they just stopped being very effective leading to a downwards spiral, now if I was in a job with a duty of care I don't think it would have been very healthy for me to have that responsibility (and therefore additional stress) and more importantly I don't think it would have been very helpful or fair for someone in counselling to have somebody like me with the mindset I had.

Original post by KittyAnneR

But the person I was talking to said that she wouldn't ever hire someone who had a history of mental illness, even if they are showing no current symptoms. It worries me how many people might think in this way.

I agree that this is wrong, because if it is dealt with it, it shouldn't be relevant. However I can understand her reasoning. It's a difficult situation because of the nature of mental illness, it's sometimes very difficult to tell if somebody is "cured" or whether the condition is going to flare up again.

Reply 5

Lt.Hartigan

Original post by KittyAnneR

Why do people not view physical health problems with as much negativity?

Probably because they can see exactly what the issue is.

For anyone with any mental health issues, I would not even bother stating them.

That is none of the employers business.

And if they ever requested you go for such an assessment, I would just sign their form(s) as "Go **** yourself" instead of your real signature :smile: