Pandemic Heightens Challenge Of Accommodating Employees With Mental Health Issues

In any given week, at least 500,000 Canadians are unable to work due to mental health problems. And those numbers come from a study published before the pandemic. The continuing COVID-19 crisis and the stress it’s generated have taken an enormous toll on just about all employees.

Chances are, some of your own employees are struggling with mental health.

In addition to harming productivity and morale, stress and mental illness raise difficult compliance challenges. Because mental illness is a disability under human rights laws, organizations must make reasonable accommodations for employees experiencing mental health problems. Implementing a policy and set of procedures for submitting, evaluating and appealing employee requests for such accommodations can go a long way in helping you meet that challenge.