mental health

Official Abstract: "The focus of this article is mental health and workplace disability discrimination in the UK. The article will look at a number of ways that disability discrimination in the UK could be developed to the advantage of people with mental health problems, through an examination of the legislation and through case analysis.The issues that are raised by disability discrimination on the ground of mental health are pertinent to all legal systems that have enacted laws to try and protect people suffering from disability discrimination.

Examines the rights of persons with mental health issues when participating in the workplace, and argues that the principle of inclusion can facilitate a better understanding of discrimination complaints in order to address them appropriately.

A critical examination of undue hardship standard for “non-mainstream” disabilities in employment law and labour law.  Duty to accommodate does not require a fundamental change to the nature of the employment relationship. The applicability of human rights law in wrongful dismissal action and collective agreement grievance. A good summary of the basic principals of undue hardship. 

The article discusses the conceptual challange that addiction and mental health pose in being not immutable, pose for establishing prima facia discrimination and how courts/adjudicators have dealt with it. The article addresses the test to determine indirect discrimination and the need to include indirect discrimination to achieve substantive equality. 

Canvesses the law on medical information disclosure requirements. Discusses how adjudicators seek to balance the employee’s right to privacy with the employer’s right to manage the workplace, maintain safety, and expect a certain level of performance. The article reviews the employee’s obligation to disclose medical information for the employer to assess the employees fitness to work or to assess reasonable accommodations or as necessary for hearing and what type of information may be requested. Discusses the employees right to refuse disclosure and the consequences.

An overview of mental illness and episodic disabilities in the workplace; review of employer responsibility to accommodate, privacy issues and medical disclosure; interesting case-law principles summarized. 

Seminar paper discussing an employer's role when addressing mental illness and addiction in the workplace; impact of changes to Ontario's Occupational Health and Safety Act; procedural duty, disclosure, accommodation. 

Author covers the procedural expectation of employers in the accommodation process and suggests case law examples (such as Lane v ADGA Group Consultants Inc 2008, or Steward v Ontario Government Services 2013) of where the duty to inquire was explored. 

Summary of Ontario Human Rights Tribunal decision in Fair v Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, 2012. Author notes the remedial order may seem surprising, but the large award for the employee is guided by the long period of time (almost 9 years) taken to litigate. 

Review of BC Human Rights Tribunal decision in Mackenzie v Jace Holdings, 2012. Tribunal found that employer failed to fulfill procedural duty to inquire whether accommodation was needed for employee's mental health, thus, discriminating against her.