Employers should consider workers' mental health
Thu 17 Apr 2008
17/04/2008
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Employers have been reminded of their obligation to consider workers' mental health after an employee won an unfair dismissal case, the Guardian has reported. Mental health campaigners hope the verdict, which found Sandra Samuel's employers had failed to consider her problems, will reinforce an over-looked part of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). "We have worked hard to get the law changed and now must make sure the law is used," said Paul Corry, director of public affairs at mental health charity, Rethink. The paper reported the head of Ms Samuel's HR department was found to have an unsympathetic attitude and had not given "any consideration to the possible effects on [Samuel's] ability to carry out the job effectively". Mr Corry said he hopes the case will help disabled people turn to the DDA for protection: "The law makes it very clear that mental health comes under the act, but in practice it is often ignored." The DDA gives protection in the areas of employment, education, access to goods and facilities and buying and letting property.
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