Mental health at work

Should you mention your panic attacks at the interview? Can you take time off sick with depression? What can't your employer get away with if you return after being ill?

It might surprise some employers that a staff member who has experienced mental illness such as depression, for example, can be an asset. They often have a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses, and can help and support other members of staff with similar problems.

Some interesting statistics:

Stress-related absences account for half of all sicknesses from work, with an estimated cost of £4 billion per year. Around 20% of work absences are due to depression.
30% of people with mental health problems felt they had been dismissed or 'forced to resign' because of discrimination.
Only 13% of people with mental health problems are in employment, compared with 33% of people with other long-term health problems.
Common misperceptions about employees with mental health problems include: they are likely to be 'dangerous and unpredictable', their problems are 'self-inflicted', they will 'never recover' or 'be able to participate fully', and they are 'unable to communicate properly'.
Providing support and investing in current employees is less expensive than recruiting and training new staff.

It's very common for workers to have problems relating to discrimination if they've been mentally ill. So it isn't really surprising that people often want to keep it a secret to avoid the stigma. What are the pros and cons of telling your employer about your problems, and what are your rights?

The pros of telling: You might get support, help, counselling, and improvements in your working conditions, and you won't live in fear of your secret being discovered.
The cons of telling: You might lay yourself open to discrimination and harassment from an ignorant employer or co-workers.
If you mention your illness at an interview and you are discriminated against, ask yourself whether you would really like to work for this kind of employer.

Make it easy for yourself

Don't rush back to work too quickly if you've been unwell. In particular, avoid long hours and stressful night shifts.
Make sure you get enough sleep, eat well, and exercise regularly.
Plan some things you enjoy, so there's stuff to look forward to.
Remember that overcoming your problems will boost your self-confidence, so don't shy away from all small challenges.
Learn more about stress management.

The legal situation

If you are asked specifically at interview why you've had time off, or how your mental health has been, you are legally obliged to tell them. If you lie, you can be dismissed at a later date on the grounds that you deliberately withheld information from the employer.
If you are not asked specifically about your mental health at interview or on an application form, you do not have to tell them about it.
The main body of legislation concerning unfair treatment in the workplace is the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which covers mental illness and related problems. Your employer has a duty to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees, and must not discriminate against mentally ill/disabled staff or applicants (provided they employ more than 15 people).
If you think you have been unfairly dismissed, you can take your employer to a tribunal, but you must act quickly.

Statistics in this article came from Mind and 'Working Minds', a report by the Industrial Society, now known as The Work Foundation