Equality law ‘barrier’ for mental health sufferers

A SURVEY of businesses in the south-east has found employers feel that employment equality legislation serves as a barrier to the employment of people with mental health problems.

According to research undertaken by Waterford Institute of Technology and the Health Service Executive, employers feel they may experience employment legislation, health and safety, and insurance issues if they were knowingly to employ someone with a mental health difficulty.

The research team, consisting of Dr John Wells and Jennifer Cunningham, from the Department of Nursing at Waterford Institute of Technology, and David Heffernan, from the Health Service Executive (South), examined employers’ views on disability policy and the employment of people with on-going mental health problems.