I'm Worried About Losing My Job: mental health and mental illness discrimination

Having a mental health problem can be challenging and distressing. Worrying about losing your job because you are unwell can make things even harder.

The law is there to protect you from mental health discrimination. You should not be treated differently to other employees or lose your job because of your mental health problem. However, the law only applies where you have told your employer about your disability - there are pros and cons to doing this.

If you are worried that your job might be at risk then there are things you can do. 

Look after yourself

There are things you can do to help stay well at work, especially if you feel that you are becoming stressed and unwell. Here are a few tips:

• Try and take a walk or get some fresh air during the day
• Be assertive – say no if you can’t take on extra demands
• Be realistic – you don’t have to be perfect all the time
• If everything starts to feel overwhelming, take a deep breath and try to take a break
• Write a list of what needs to be done; this can help you to prioritise, focus and get things in perspective
• Try not to work long hours or take work home with you
• If there is something about your job, the work environment or the way your work is organised that is damaging you or
  preventing you from working effectively, ask if you can get it changed

Talk to your employer

If you feel comfortable talking to your manager then some of these ideas might help you to remain at work, or support you when you are unwell. If you don't feel able to talk to your manager then consider talking to a colleague, HR team member, union representative or welfare officer.

• Follow a more flexible working pattern, this can help even if it is only possible for a temporary period
• Ask for help prioritising the most important tasks and focus on these
• Have regular catch up sessions with your manager/colleagues
• Ask someone to watch out for 'triggers' that you are becoming unwell
• If you are off work stay in touch with your colleagues so you don't feel isolated
• Look at your company’s policies and any schemes that they might have in place which might be helpful to you, including
  staff handbooks, company mental health policies, mentoring, advisors, training or staff development schemes

If you do need to change or leave a job

There are times when it is not possible to continue in your job. There are situations where the nature of your work or the way that you feel about the job mean you cannot maintain your wellbeing.

However, things may look very different once you are recovering, so it is important to try to secure your work situation, using help or advice services like the Shaw Trust, Citizens Advice, ACAS or your union if you are a member.

If you do decide that you have no option but to give up work for a period then this does not mean you will never work again. There might be options for more suitable work in your old organisation, or you might decide you want to try something completely different. This factsheet from Rethink gives advice about getting back to work if you have been off ill for a time

Off work sick and worried about your job?

This booklet from the HSE is written for people who are off work unwell. It offers simple tips for you and your employer about keeping in touch, talking to your doctor and accessing other sources of support.

Getting individual support

Shaw Trust offers a service that is designed to support people who may be in danger of losing their job due to the fact that they have developed a health problem.

PC Heidi Portray from West Midlands Police talks here about how the Shaw trust helped her to cope at work after being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.