mental health issues

The business case for banishing the winter blues at work

March 24, 2014 Marcia Scheffler Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Integrated Accessibility Regulation, Standard for Employment, Training and Development

Is it spring yet? For some people, cold weather and lack of sunshine can trigger a type of depression more serious than winter blahs. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and other mental illnesses are rarely talked about at work and often carry serious stigma for those impacted.

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What is the impact of mental health issues on the duty to mitigate

February 19, 2014 Earl Altman Employee Relations, Employment/Labour Standards, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Notice, Damages and Settlements, Payroll

It has often been said that termination from employment is the capital punishment of employment law. While perhaps too extreme an analogy, there is no doubt that termination is an emotionally draining experience. The courts have grappled with the issue of plaintiffs in a wrongful dismissal claim who argue that the emotional upheaval of their dismissal resulted in an inability to look for replacement work for a period of time.

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Should employees talk about mental illness?

January 20, 2014 Meghan Ferguson Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Training and Development, Union Relations

This month media campaigns are encouraging people to talk about mental illness. This raises the question about whether employees should talk to their employer about mental illness or remain silent for fear of losing their jobs.

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Psychological health & safety in the workplace: Now more important than ever

February 8, 2013 Clear Path Employer Services Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Health and Safety, HR Policies and Procedures, Human Resources, Human Rights, Recruiting and Hiring, Standard for Employment

As of January 2013, Canada is now the first country in the world to adopt a national standard for mental health in the workplace. Several health and safety and human rights legislation across Canada already address providing safe and healthy workplaces, the prevention of harassment that includes bullying, sexual harassment, and discrimination based on disability which includes mental illnesses. However, this new standard now gives employers and employees support to make their workplaces psychologically safe and healthy.

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Excessive overtime doubles depression risk

February 7, 2012 Yosie Saint-Cyr, LL.B. Managing Editor Accessibility Standards, Employee Relations, Health and Safety, Human Resources, Human Rights, Standard for Employment

A January 25, 2012, British research study indicates that people who work 11 or more hours a day have double the odds of becoming depressed compared with those who don’t work overtime. But why is this important for us as employers to know?

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