回应平等就业机会委员会对精神健康歧视的日益关注

随着社会对心理健康的理解不断加深, so has government acknowledgment and efforts to protect workers with such conditions. 有精神健康问题的工人, 比如焦虑或抑郁, are often protected against discrimination and harassment at work because of the condition. They may also have workplace privacy rights and a legal right to reasonable accommodations to help them perform the essential functions of their jobs.

美国.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (平等就业机会委员会) enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 保护残疾人的联邦法律. In most cases, individuals with diagnosed mental health conditions are covered under the ADA.

这篇文章强调心理健康状况, outlines the 平等就业机会委员会’s enforcement plans and offers ADA compliance guidance for employers.

精神健康和美国残疾人法

《梅高美集团4858》只适用于拥有15名或以上雇员的雇主. The law defines “disability” as a physical or mental impairment substantially limiting one or more major life activities. When qualified job applicants or employees have a mental health condition meeting those criteria, 他们有《梅高美集团4858》规定的工作场所权利. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 broadened the definition of disability to provide legal protections against employment discrimination for more individuals with disabilities, 包括精神病患者. “精神残疾”和“精神疾病”经常被交替使用. The term “mental illness” is typically used in a medical context to refer to a wide range of emotional and mental health conditions. 与此形成鲜明对比的是, “psychiatric disability” is typically used in a legal or policy context to refer to impairments covered under the ADA

美国国家心理健康研究所估计，大约18%的美国人患有精神疾病.S. 工人在任何一个月都有精神健康问题. This means that psychiatric disability is one of the most common types of disability covered under the ADA. 因为精神健康状况会严重限制大脑功能, individuals with such disorders will usually be determined to have an ADA-covered disability. 以下精神健康状况可能符合《梅高美集团4858》的规定:

·注意缺陷/多动障碍(ADHD)

·双相情感障碍

·         精神分裂症

·广泛性焦虑症

·重度抑郁症

·强迫症(OCD)

·惊恐障碍

·人格障碍

·创伤后应激障碍(PTSD)

Examples of reasonable accommodations for an employee with a mental disability may include:

·允许员工远程办公

·允许更频繁的休息

·交替的监督方法(如.g., providing written instructions and providing more frequent or different reminders of tasks and due dates)

·改变员工的工作时间表

·改变员工的工作地点(e.g., moving to a quieter space or allowing the use of a white noise machine or headphones)

·重新分配到空缺职位

·         Permitting a leave of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act, 州法律或公司政策

平等就业机会委员会执法计划

2021财年(FY), employee allegations of unlawful discrimination based on mental health conditions accounted for about 30% of all ADA-related 平等就业机会委员会-filed charges. 这一数字较2010财年报告的20%有显著增长. 焦虑和创伤后应激障碍是导致这一趋势的主要原因.

平等就业机会委员会最近发布了其 策略性执行计划 (SEP)为2024-28财年, 强调更加重视对弱势群体的歧视, 包括有精神疾病的员工. The plan aims to focus and coordinate the agency’s work to advance equal employment opportunities sustainably.

老板指导

Supporting employees battling mental health conditions is not only important for compliance reasons. 当组织试图逃避《梅高美集团4858》规定的责任时, support and guidance can help foster an inclusive environment for employees with mental health conditions.

Consider the following employer strategies to stay compliant and create a supportive culture:

·         监督平等就业机会委员会的遵守情况. Organizations should stay current on all 平等就业机会委员会 updates and consult local legal counsel before making any workplace changes. Employers can be proactive with compliance responsibilities by setting calendar reminders well before deadlines and meeting regularly to review compliance with 平等就业机会委员会 guidance.

·         审查工作场所政策. Various workplace policies have the potential to generate discrimination claims. 雇主可以审查和评估背景调查等政策, 雇佣前后的性格或行为测试, 不公平的休假政策和不必要的身体要求.

·         检讨薪酬制度. 在审查他们的薪酬做法时, organizations may discover disparities that adversely affect employees based on certain protected characteristics. With a clearer picture, employers can then address those disparities to ensure equal opportunity.

·         培训经理. Supervisors and managers can be trained to identify and respond to requests for reasonable accommodation to ensure decision-making isn’t based on outdated biases or misunderstandings about mental health.

·         培训所有员工. Mental health awareness can help fight the stigma often associated with conditions. Open and honest conversations about mental health can help foster an inclusive work environment. Training can help increase empathy and understanding to ensure all employees feel valued, 受人尊敬，是团队的一员.

Summary

正如平等就业机会委员会最新的SEP所概述的那样, the federal government continues to crack down on organizations that discriminate against workers with mental health conditions. 像这样, employers should continually monitor for 平等就业机会委员会 updates and review applicable workplace policies and practices that could cause a discrimination claim. 除了遵从性, mental health awareness is critical for fostering a successful and inclusive workplace environment.

This HR Insights is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as professional advice. ©2023 Zywave, Inc. 版权所有.