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You are here: Home / Employee Relations / Slaw: Federal government launches workplace mental health standards initiative

By Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor | 2 Minutes Read June 23, 2011

Slaw: Federal government launches workplace mental health standards initiative

MentalHealthCommissionCanadaSince the economic burden of mental illness in Canada has been estimated at $51-billion per year, with almost $20-billion of that coming from workplace losses, the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) has launched a collaborative project with the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) and the standards division of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Standards) to create a voluntary national standard for mentally healthy workplaces. The standard aims to help Canadian employers support the psychological health and safety of their employees. According to the government, Canada is the first country in the world to develop such a standard.

A committee of health and safety professionals, labour representatives, executives, government representatives, experts in law and policy and other groups has been created by BNQ and CSA Standards to develop the standard. Funding for the project has been provided by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada and Bell Canada. Specifically, the federal government is kicking in $325,000 for the study, and Bell is contributing $150,000.

There will be a 60-day public review process held in the fall. The completed standard is scheduled to be released in 2012.

Once the standard is in place, the BNQ and CSA Standards will jointly manage the standard development process and publication. The standard will be developed as a stand-alone National Standard of Canada (NSC).

What’s in it for employees and employers? According to the MHCC, the advantages of a psychological standard for employees include protection from psychological harm in the workplace and the promotion of psychological well-being. For employers, the business case in favour of the new standard rests on four main parameters: enhanced cost effectiveness, improved risk management, increased organizational recruitment and retention, and corporate social responsibility.

Is this initiative really needed?

For more, read my recent post on Slaw.

Yosie Saint-Cyr
First Reference Human Resources and Compliance Managing Editor

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Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor
Managing Editor at First Reference Inc.
Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B., is a trained lawyer called to the Quebec bar in 1988 and is still a member in good standing. She practiced business, employment and labour law until 1999. For over 20 years, Yosie has been the Managing Editor at First Reference. She manages the PolicyPro Human Resources and Internal Controls editions, The Human Resources Advisor editions, PaySource and the HRinfodesk news service as well as the blogs. Marie-Yosie (a.k.a. Yosie) is a recognized and respected author, with an extensive background in human resources, employment and labour across the country.
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Article by Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor / Employee Relations, Health and Safety, Human Rights / Bureau de normalisation du Québec, Canadian Standards Association, corporate social responsibility, Disability, Employers facing a perfect storm of mental illness liability, employment law, Health Canada, HRSDC, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, mental health, Mental Health Commission of Canada, Mental Injury and the Law in Canada, national standard, psychological health and safety, Public Health Agency of Canada, Stress at Work, workplace mental health, workplace mental health standards initiative

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About Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor

Marie-Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B., is a trained lawyer called to the Quebec bar in 1988 and is still a member in good standing. She practiced business, employment and labour law until 1999. For over 20 years, Yosie has been the Managing Editor at First Reference. She manages the PolicyPro Human Resources and Internal Controls editions, The Human Resources Advisor editions, PaySource and the HRinfodesk news service as well as the blogs. Marie-Yosie (a.k.a. Yosie) is a recognized and respected author, with an extensive background in human resources, employment and labour across the country.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle Mendoza says

    June 28, 2011 at 1:44 pm

    I agree with this process. Employers should be doing whatever it takes to look after their valued employees, and that should include mental health.

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