According to a study by the TUC, only one in four people with a mental illness lasting for 12 months or more are in employment.

The report, “Mental health and employment”, also found that while four in five non-disabled people are in work, less than half of people with depression or anxiety lasting more than 12 months are employed.

The TUC suggests that this is because employers are failing to make adequate changes to enable people with mental illnesses, anxiety or depression to get a job, or stay in work. Mental health problems can often be invisible to others, so a lack of mental health awareness amongst managers and employers is also likely to be a factor.

It therefore recommends that employers should:

  • Introduce reasonable adjustments for people experiencing mental health problems such as time off for counselling or other medical appointments, changes to their role, moving their workplace or allow them to work from home
  • Refer to mental health in the sickness absence policy and adjust the policy for disabled staff where time off is related to a disability
  • Implement awareness-raising exercises in conjunction with trade unions, disabled staff and mental health charities
  • Create a workplace wellbeing policy which looks at the issue of mental health holistically
  • Consult with staff who have experienced mental ill-health to determine the solutions to the issues they face
  • Ensure senior managers champion awareness of mental health and fight to remove the stigma around mental health in the workplace.
  • Engage with the recognised trade union so they can input into all policies related to mental health to ensure collective equality rights for disabled workers.

 

The TUC recommends that the government should:

  • Abolish tribunal fees to make it easier for people with mental ill-health who have experienced discrimination in the workplace to access justice
  • Promote Access to Work for people with mental health problems if government funding is required for the adjustments
  • Call a halt to cuts to disabled people’s financial support.

 

Iain Birrell of Thompsons Solicitors said, “mental ill-health of the duration and severity outlined by the TUC’s report is already likely to be covered by the Equality Act 2010 and so reasonable adjustments will be available for many. Much of what the TUC wants to see goes beyond these statutory obligations however and would need properly funded political change.

The (uncosted) Conservative Manifesto nods to some of these themes, saying they will amend health and safety regulations so that employers provide appropriate first aid training and needs assessment for mental health, and extend Equalities Act protections against discrimination to mental health conditions that are episodic and fluctuating (as these are already covered it is hard to know what this might actually mean).

In distinctly weaker tones, they say they will also ‘consider’ the findings of the as-yet-unwritten Stevenson-Farmer Review into workplace mental health support – something they already promised in January when they commissioned it.

Labour’s manifesto does not have specific workplace policies, but it does contain several more holistic measures, which would provide indirect assistance. Only Labour will remove the Employment Tribunal fees, which are such a barrier to discrimination claims. Time will tell as to whether any of this will make a difference to those most in need.”

To read the report in full, go to: https://www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/Mental_Health_and_Employment.pdf