Employment for people who are living with a
mental illness is an ongoing challenge in our society today. Some of the
challenges that face people with a disability are gaps in employment, limited
work experience, workplace discrimination and inflexibility, and social stigma.
(Canadian Mental Health
Association , 2012)
Employment
for all people in society is important; one of the social determinants of
health is employment. There are many people who have mental illness who work
every day and provide affective and invaluable support to their workplaces. ( Canadian Mental Health Association , 2007) Even with this fact
the unemployment rate for those who have mental illness is 70% – 90%, and this
is continually detrimental to the health and wellbeing of these people because
it is known that one of the keys to good mental health and wellbeing is being an
active member of their community. (Canadian Mental Health Association , 2012)
A
basic human right for every citizen in Canada is the access to employment, and
those who do suffer from mental illnesses have the right to have equal
consideration for employment. (Canadian Mental Health Association , 2012) According to the law every employer has the
“duty to accommodate”, therefore it is the workplaces responsibility placed by
government to meet the needs of all employees including those with mental
illnesses as well as promote mental health to all other employees. ( Canadian Mental Health
Association , 2007)
The neoliberal and neoconservative ideological
approach values individual freedom and that each person knows what is best for
them, but within this it may lead to inequality but that is necessary aspect of
society. (Hick, 2007) The government’s
role should be limited and that private ownership is key. (Hick, 2007)
In an article from CBC, “Mental Illness
Common in the Work Place”, they stated that after research was conducted about
mental health in the work place that just less than 50 percent of Canadians
says they have has or dealt with mental health programs. (CBC News, 2011) The articles reports
that also even though companies and manager have stated they feel like they
provide a safe and open environment for those who are suffering from mental
health concerns, but in the surveys many employees did not feel this way. (CBC News, 2011) Because of the idea
behind neoliberal and neoconservative ideology of private ownership and free
market, and benefits of capitalism, when you look at the unemployment
statistics that nearly five hundred thousand people are not working because of
mental illness it costs the Canadian economy $51 billion a year. (CBC News, 2011) This could be from
unemployment insurance, health benefits etc.
Through the neoconservative and neoliberal lens
this cost should not be the responsibility of the government. It is believed through
this ideology that social welfare interferes with labor market and creates
dependency on the government. (Hick, 2007) When looking at the
issue of employment and those who have mental health concerns this ideology
believes that it should be the responsibility of the owners to take care of the
welfare of those who need assistance. (Hick, 2007)
- Amanda
References:
Canadian Mental Health Association . (2007). Work.
Retrieved October 31, 2012, from Canadian Mental Health Association : Ontario :
http://www.ontario.cmha.ca/
Canadian Mental Health Association . (2012). Employment.
Retrieved October 31, 2012, from Canadian Mental Health Association :
http://www.cmha.ca/mental-health/find-help/employment/
CBC News. (2011, June 11). CBC News: Health .
Retrieved October 31, 2012, from CBC :
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2011/06/20/mental-health-workplace.html
Hick, S. (2007). Social Welfare in Canada:
Understanding Income Security, Second Edition . Canada: Thompson
Educational Publishing.
I am so glad you touched on this issue. I feel as though is a major issue, and know of several people who suffer from various different mental health disorder whom have trouble finding or holding down jobs because of it. I feel that this is a real issue that needs to be addressed by communities and I'm happy that someone took the time to look into it.
ReplyDeleteErica.
Thank you for discussing this important issue.
ReplyDeleteLooking at any employment issue through a conservative lens raises so many questions. If equal opportunity were a true concept and conditions were equal, then perhaps markets would take care of us (to an extent); however, we know this isn't the case. In a society built around conservative values, the individual is responsible for their own well-being. Where does that leave those who are struggling to get even the tinniest sliver of the pie we are all after? Even with our eroding social service sector, so many Canadians are struggling to find work and struggling to put food on the table. Rather than empower individuals, the government seems to opt for the short-term fix such as the "duty to accomadate" that you mentioned. This does nothing for the individual who is being stigmatized, it only offers them a shot at employment that or may not last.
- Kayla T.
This is an issue that I can relate to. I had a placement at an employment agency who specifically dealt with individuals who had a disability. This included those with mental illness or individuals who have recovered from an addiction. As you can imagine, individuals with mental illness were discouraged when attempting to find employment because of the stigma. There are employers out there who are accommodating and a delight to work with, but there are also others who want nothing to do with hiring an individual who has a mental illness. The stigma is terrible.
ReplyDeleteI love how you approached this issue. Unfortunately, I can understand why employers wouldn't want to hire someone with a mental illness. I don't have anything against these types of individuals, but you stated that it was the employers duty to "meet the needs of all employees including people with mental illnesses," which I can now understand why it's difficult for them to obtain employment. Not only would maintenance for a mentally ill employee be a lot of work, it's just too distracting and worrisome for the employer to be watching over to make sure nothing goes wrong. Therefore, employers would rather hire healthy, capable individuals that they don't have to worry about instead of the stigma and responsibility of a mentally ill worker.
ReplyDelete-Spencer (poverty group)
I think it is unfourtante that employers think this way, individuals with a mental illness should not be seen as a burden in the work place but as another employee that is capable of completing tasks just like everyone else. I worked with a mentally ill individual at a restaurant and it was the highlight of her day to come into work, it was something she could achieve on her own and I think that it is important for everyone to have that sense of purpose and for her working was her sense of purpose. Also in Windsor (my hometown) there was a restaurant called ten friends diner and they only employed individuals with physical or mental disabilities, I think that there should be more places like that because it gives them a chance to interact with people without being judged.
Delete-Karlie
For me this issue only has one answer. Whether the person has a mental illness or a disability or does not, if they have the proper skills and qualifications needed for the job then there should be no discrimination or inequality period. Everyone is equal and if a person with mental illness has more qualifications or better skills than the average Joe then the person with the mental illness should get the job. If we lived in a world where everyone was considered equal that is who would get the job but because of the stereotypes and discrimination this probably would not be the case. It is really sad that these type’s of judgments are made just because someone has a mental illness or disability when they may be an extremely hard worker or great employee. An employer is supposed to accommodate their employee, so what if one person may need a bit more accommodations than another but some see this as a concern, which is very unfortunate. For me the bottom line is if they are able and have the qualifications I do not see the problem, we should all be treated as equals.
ReplyDeleteAlysha - Physical Disabilities Group
I agree that if an individual who faces mental illness is qualified for a job they should get it. However, as we are all aware due to stereotypes and stigmas' the sad reality is that these people are being overlooked. This is detrimental to their health and to society as well. Mental illness can happen to anyone at anytime, and this discrimination needs to end if society wants to be more productive. If these individuals can find work it may alleviate some costs in the social service area, perhaps they would not need as much support from programs. I think society needs to start looking at the big picture.
ReplyDeleteAlissa B- mental illness group
Great info
ReplyDeleteWhat is good mental health and how do you achieve it?