The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) states that one in five adults experience mental illness each year. That represents approximately 21% of the entire United States population, meaning that a person is likely experiencing mental illness to some degree at their workplace. One in twenty adults experience serious mental illness, meaning their illness profoundly affects their ability to function day-to-day. However, even if a mental illness isn’t considered severe, people with it may still need reasonable accommodations to ensure they have a fair chance to succeed as their peers without it.
Despite the prevalence of mental illness, it is still a highly stigmatized health issue. In 2020, less than half of adults experiencing mental illness sought or received help for their illness. For every employee requesting accommodations, many others may feel uncomfortable or scared of doing so. Because of this stigma, it takes a lot of courage to request workplace accommodations. When an employee does, you, as a supervisor or business owner, must take their request as seriously as you would for an accommodations request for a physical disability.
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) does cover mental illness in its guidelines. Specifically, the law applies to any person with a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits…life activities. Mental illness may not seem to be debilitating, but it very much is for many people who experience it. Because the ADA covers mental illness, you are obligated as an employer to provide reasonable accommodation when requested. Specifically:
Treat the request as you would for any accommodation: evaluate the workplace to determine feasibility and ensure the request does not present a hardship to your business or other employees.
Listen to your employee. Do not bring your preconceived notions into the conversation: instead, pay attention to what is being said and consider how the requested accommodations may allow your employee to maintain or increase productivity.
Research as needed. If you do not understand how your employee’s specific mental illness inhibits their job performance, take the time to explore more about it and educate yourself. Do not dismiss your employee’s concerns simply because you don’t believe or understand their situation; your employee is an expert in their own lives and needs, and your opinions do not change that.
Include the employee in all conversations related to their request. Not only will this allow your employee to feel more comfortable, but it will also open the door to discussing alternative accommodations if their particular request isn’t feasible.
A disability is “any condition of the body or mind that makes it difficult…to do certain activities.” It’s simple to understand how physical impairments, such as vision difficulties or wheelchair usage, can make it challenging to do certain activities, such as walking, eating, or working. Still, it’s much harder to envision the same for people experiencing mental illness, especially if you, as an employer, have never experienced it.
It’s impossible to list every single way a mental illness may impair life functions, as mental illness is experienced differently by everyone and results in vastly different life challenges. In general, however, mental illness is highly disruptive in some form, whether it’s a person experiencing major depression who finds it difficult to get out of bed or a person experiencing schizophrenia with hallucinations that interfere with reality. Every mental illness impacts a person’s life, and because that impact may inhibit their ability to function, it is considered a disability.
The ADA states that an employer must provide reasonable accommodations unless they present an undue hardship to the business. For example, allowing a mental health service dog into the kitchen of a restaurant would be considered undue hardship, and thus you would not be required to approve that request. However, shutting down the employee completely should only be your last resort. It may be tempting to “get rid of” the perceived “problem” of the requested accommodations by simply denying the request. Still, this path will only increase any separation of employer and employee and dissuade any other potential requests, smothering any attempt to help themselves do the best work they can.
You are not obligated to approve situations like the example above, but working with your employee to brainstorm alternatives can go a long way in maintaining trust, not just with the initial requestor but with your company as a whole. Although the initial request is not possible, there may be alternative accommodations you can make to assist the employee. For example, transferring an employee to another position wherein they can have their service dog would be a reasonable accommodation, allowing an employee to work a flexible schedule to attend necessary therapy or doctor’s appointments.
It is important to note that in discussions of accommodations, especially for accommodations related to mental illness, what presents as an undue hardship must not be generalized assumptions. It is unacceptable to deny a request based on your preconceived notions. All decisions, whether approved or denied, must be based solely on individual circumstances and a detailed assessment of the department's needs. Because of the stigma related to mental illness, it may be easy for unconscious biases to present themselves; it is up to you as an employer to ensure that your decisions are not affected by your beliefs or assumptions.
Mental illness is a highly stigmatized disability that may require reasonable accommodations in the workplace. Regardless of your beliefs or opinions of mental illness, the ADA requires you to accommodate your employee as best you can. Though it may be hard to understand how a mental illness can significantly impact a person’s life, you must trust that your employee would benefit from reasonable accommodations. Consider mental health accommodations the same as physical ones, and treat your employee with respect and dignity.