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Bosses to be faced with new mental health minefield

Announcement posted by WHS Solutions 29 Aug 2014

Every year Australian businesses lose $10.9 Billion a year by failing to address mental health issues in the workplace.
Now more than ever employers are at increasing risk of costly legal action if they fail to address mental health issues in the workplace properly.

Many employers are unaware that they could face discrimination claims if they refused jobs or promotions to those with mental health problems. Many employers remain ignorant about their obligations under the new nationally harmonised laws, business owners can now be taken to court for failing to provide a safe workplace for a staff member with a mental illness. Mentioning a mental health problem as part of workplace gossip could also be seen as a breach privacy laws.

Mental health expert Tasha Broomhall of mental health consultancy Blooming Minds, said "If nearly six out of 10 of managers don't understand the signs, symptoms and indicators of mental illness, they're unlikely to respond appropriately in the workplace, unlikely to support staff and, critically, are likely to increase the personal impact on the worker involved.”

A Blooming Minds survey of 102 people, two-thirds interviewed from WA, showed only one in 10 workplaces had a clear understanding of mental health policy.

The survey showed 42 per cent of respondents had been diagnosed with a condition and of those who revealed this information to their employer, 85 per cent claimed the manager's reaction made their illness worse.

ABOUT WHS SOLUTIONS

Don’t wait for employees slip through the cracks. Take the initiative and ensure a healthy mental workspace for your workers.

WHS Solutions can help you in ensuring your employees have all their mental health requirements met as well as helping you comply with all other workplace health and safety regulations. WHS Solutions provides you with a customised service at a fixed fee to suit your specific occupation safety and health needs within your budget parameters.

WHS Solutions gives you access to a vast industry pool of knowledge and expertise which ensures your business will be treated with care and sensitivity.

For more information regarding WHS Solutions, please contact
Email: enquiries@yoursafetysolutions.com.au
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