Accommodations for mental health disorders can not be used as a “get out of jail free card,” a recent decision by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal (HRT) affirmed.
However, the decision also highlights gray areas that can exist around employer responsibilities for providing accommodations for employees with mental disabilities, and the importance of documentation and disclosure.
Because of the “invisible” nature of some mental health conditions, the negative effects they can have on job performance can be overlooked if they’re not disclosed, explains David Brown, partner at Ascent Employment Law in Vancouver.
