FOCUS ON THE PEOPLE // HUMAN RESOURCES
ONCE A TABOO TOPIC, MENTAL DISABILITY HAS BECOME MORE WIDELY ACCEPTED IN THE WORKPLACE AS A LEGITIMATE REASON FOR TAKING TIME OFF WORK. disability insurance benefits owing to them because they are unable to work. “I will say that if the mental health issues the employee is experiencing could be due to the workplace or the employee’s job, and the employee has Workers’ Compensation coverage, then it may be that a claim needs to be submitted to the WCB. An employer may benefit from legal advice on that point.”
“At Manulife, we have removed any real or perceived cost barrier so that employees and their families can get the care they need, when they need it. Getting help often comes with a hefty out-of-pocket price tag, which can keep care out of reach for those who really need it.” Fraga adds, “Early detection of mental health issues and minimizing the impact through treatment by a mental health specialist can make a big difference in a person’s life and can lead to less relapse of the illness, when compared to using medication only. Employees who have a mental health issue can get the help they need and stay at work. If they need to go on short-term disability, they are able to return to work more quickly.” In some instances, an employee suffering from a mental disability and consequently needing time off work will consult a personal injury lawyer. Depending on an employee’s situation at work, hiring a lawyer can help ensure fair treatment and entitled benefits. Calgary lawyer Peter Cline, a member of the Personal Injury Group at McLeod Law, says, “I have seen an increase in these claims over, say, the last five years in my short- and long-term disability insurance legal practice. This is true whether the employee’s mental health is the primary disabling condition or the secondary disabling condition to a primary ‘physical health’ condition.” Cline’s practice is focused on assisting ill and injured clients in recovering the compensation they are entitled to for the damages suffered in an accident, and
Once a taboo topic, mental disability has become more widely accepted in the workplace as a legitimate reason for taking time off work. Employers have a responsibility to ensure the workplace is a safe environment for their employees, both physically and emotionally. Adequate training on mental health issues and how to address them in the workplace is recommended for all management and HR staff. Offering an Employee Family Assistance Program (EFAP) with free and confidential services is beneficial too. Fraga says work culture plays a huge role in how an employee deals with mental health issues. “I believe the biggest challenge is culture. Employers need to have a culture that makes it safe and acceptable to discuss mental health in the workplace and provide on-site programs that foster that.” Culver echoes Fraga’s comments and adds, “By building a culture where talking about mental health is encouraged, this in turn provides opportunities for companies to have open discussions about factors in the workplace that cause anxiety, stress and/or nervousness for employees.” One big challenge, says Culver, is where to draw the line when it comes to employers’ responsibility for employees’ mental well-being. “Where does the employers’ responsibility stop and the employees’ responsibility for their mental health begin?” With employees having the ability to say connected to work 24-7, Culver says everything seems to blend together. “Employees bring personal matters to work and work issues
ABOVE: PETER CLINE, PARTNER, MCLEOD LAW PHOTO SOURCE: MCLEOD LAW
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APRIL 2019 // BUSINESS IN CALGARY // BUSINESSINCALGARY.COM