Lived Experience Forum

[NikNik]

How to handle workplace stigma.

Many people with mental health issues will experience stigma in the workplace.

It may be based on ignorance, prejudice or discrimination ... And it can be extremely harmful, at its worst causing deep trauma.

So what can we do about stigma in the workplace?

And what is it based on? ... Is it mainly ignorance, prejudice or discrimination?

The good news is there's evidence suggesting that interventions to improve public knowledge about mental illness can be effective.

So in this Friday's Caree Chat we will explore the topic of workplace stigma and hopefully answer some important questions.

What are the best ways to counter stigma? 

How do we rally support?

And how do we take care of ourselves in the face of discrimination in the workplace?

Join @Renstar from Ostara Australia this Friday from 10am AEST

Won't be around for the session? Leave your question below to be answered during the session.

[Renstar]

Good morning and thanks to @NikNik

Stigma in the workplace is something that people with a mental illness either fear or have experienced at some time.

When a friend of mine told her colleagues in academia that she was experiencing issues at home and done mental health problems as a result .., she quickly realised their opinions of her began vary

One person suggested she may not be capable of even completing her duties in the role, this created a situation for her that became unbearable and she left.

Stigma can cause enormous pain resulting it can compound already difficult situations ...

Have you ever experienced stigma surrounding your mental illness in the workplace?

What were the outcomes?

[Sehnsucht]

Is it too much to expect an apology when policies that marginalise and have potential for discrimination, are pointed out?

What resources are available to assist employers with writing and enforcing inclusion statements?

[Sehnsucht]

Hi @Renstar,

I experienced stigma and discrimination when I first disclosed, when applying for the job I had spent a year getting trained and gaining experience for. The application form explicitly asked for full disclosure. I was called, I was offered the job, on condition I followed this process: disclose, obtain forms for clearance, take said forms to professional, get them to clear you for the work.

I did just this. Spent money on seeing the psychiatrist I used to see. He cleared me.

Sent forms back, assumed all was well, but head office mailed me a week later to tell me no, due to my previous history, they could not employ me. They said,try again next year.

I have never ticked 'yes' to any illness on any form since.

[Sehnsucht]

Sorry, didn't mean to post that yet.

But not disclosing has me disadvantaged too, as there do come times I could do with support, or I see terms of employment that ignorantly margainalise or justify discriminantion. So I am currently trying to navigate how I go about doing this with my current employer, and get the most out of it.

[Sehnsucht]

Another part or why I don't disclose, is that I work with children. I fear what parents/carers would say to me working. I imagine my employers would be fearing the same, only they'd care less about me, and more about the damage to business.

[Former-Member]

Is it necessary they do know? Can you work around this @Sensucht? Not to hide, but for your own sense of self preservation. To take care of you first? I don't know. Sometimes information in wrong hands is a bad thing. For people that lack empathy. Some workforce areas more so. I do understand it helps to be understood.

[Sehnsucht]

My issue is, that the industry promotes a lack of inclusivity, given our pay rate, the terms of employement (casual), and expectation we never miss any one shift (consistency for clients/customers).
I have heard others with less stigmatised conditions express their frustration,anger, and sadness. Even just being sick with a cold is frowned upon. It makes for very stressful work for everyone, let alone people with chronic conditions.

But I love what I do. It is an important and valuable line of work. The education and skills we provide prevents childhood injuries and death.

So I don't care about self-preservation anymore. I feel well enough and ready for the fight. I want to do this for the sake of anyone and everyone with an illness or disability.

[Sehnsucht]

Maybe things will be better recieved if I disclose simply that I have a mental illness, so as to provide the context under which my voice is relevant, but not specify which illness?

[Renstar]

Hi @Sehnsucht and @Former-Member thanks for joining in today

in regards to that employment situation you mentioned @Sehnsucht, there are anti discrimination laws that prevent that sort of treatment, I'm not a legal expert however a cursory look online revealed this ...

Disability discrimination legislation and employment

The Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA) and equivalent state and territory laws make it unlawful to discriminate against, harass or victimise people with disabilities or their associates – including in employment.

The term ‘disability’ is broadly defined. It covers mental illness:

whether temporary or permanent
past, present or future
actual or imputed.
The law defines discrimination to include both direct and indirect discrimination. It is important to note that a failure to make reasonable adjustments for a worker with disability, including a worker with mental illness, may constitute direct or indirect discrimination.

The precise definitions are set out in the DDA. However, for practical purposes, you can use the following definitions.

Direct discrimination[19] occurs in employment where:

a worker is treated less favourably by an employer than someone without disability because of his or her disability.

For example, refusing to employ or sacking someone because s/he has a mental illness.

or

an employer refuses to make reasonable adjustments for a worker with disability and this has the effect that the person is treated less favourably than someone without disability.

For example, not allowing someone with depression to work part-time where this arrangement has been sought as an adjustment for the worker’s mental illness may be direct discrimination.

My bold..

you may have a case