Lived Experience Forum

[Ma60]

I know this sounds controversial but I'm starting to wonder should workplaces be allowed to advertise positions whereby people with mental health issues are not allowed to apply. The reason been that you get through the interview process then you are given the health assessment form. If you answer yes there goes the job. If you lie you can be sacked for lying on the form. Don't get me wrong I believe people should be employed on their skills not their health status. I know I'm ranting but why can't workplaces be honest rather than backhand discrimination. At my workplace I feel so alone and isolated, I feel the only time I'm good enough is when I fix or write the reports for management. They then hand it in as there own work but I'm told not to apply for promotions.

[chemonro]

I defiinitely think this should apply to jobs like air traffic controller? *doe eyes*

[Violetsare]

I've told some of my bosses about my illness but not others. I lied on the form because I have asked my doctor if they think I can do my job and they have said yes.

I have had bosses who have been great and supportive and I have had one who is great but she said someone with bipolar must be impossible to live with not knowing that I have.

I have had a customer get upset on the phone and tell me that she has bipolar and that she was abused as a kid and after the phone call finished, my boss who I explained the work side of the call to, because I looked upset, told me don't worry about her, she's bipolar or schizophrenic. I had to count to ten. A year later I found out that hat lady has a sister who is mentally ill. So she wasn't very supportive despite being close to someone with a similar problem.

But the best boss was the one that when I thanked her for being so supportive said to me "You are just like everyone else, you just have some difficulties because of it sometimes."

The response I usually get if I tell people is "My dad has depression" or "My brother has bipolar" or "You seem so normal". But I'm careful who I tell. I wouldn't tell while applying for a job, but nor would I go for a job where my decisions had life or death consequences. I hate the portrayal of bipolar in Homeland.

My Mum tells me not to tell people just because I'm doing well, not to try and be a poster child for bipolar. Because there are people who won't be understanding and you need to protect yourself.

How's welfare, I got told I could not get any support and no carer support when I was sick and could not work because I would likely find a job in eighteen months. In the meantime it was lucky I had my family, and yet I am a taxpayer too, and I can't get income protection insurance in case I have a psychotic episode again. I only applied for the welfare because my doctor thought I was entitled to it. I worry about people that don't have family support like some of the ones I saw when I was in hospital or those around town.

[kenny66]

I was trying very hard to find work and wouldn't go on the DSP even though I qualified for it. I just wanted to work.

The disability employment crowd I was with to help me find a job told me it was up to me if I told any employer I was MI or not but it would probably mean I lost my job if I did.

I used the disability employer because I wanted them to put me forward for a job as a person with MI- just like if I was in  a wheel chair or an amputee-right out in the open. After all of the jobs I have applied for I have told everyone I had schizoaffective Disorder. Never got one job whether I was qualified or not.

Employers should be able to advertise that people with MI need not apply. Stops wasting your time.

The police have on their website anyone who has been treated for any mental illness cannot apply.

[Alessandra1992]

It is ridiculous that we do not have positive discrimination around mental health in workplaces. There are many people with mental health challenges working and in all industries. Thanks to a lit of misperception around risk though, many do not disclose. Therefore we are seen as a minority but with high risks. Which is a pretty cruel state of affairs. I empathise with @Ma60, who in her own work has her actions unappreciated...and suggested to not apply for promotion.
We have a long way to go to achieve significant progress..keep the conversation going.. I hope the ABC's mental as looks at this topic in depth..

[kenny66]

On the work front I dont think there will be much progress for a long time. I did see there is an initiative to give jobs to people with Autism Spectrum Disorder in SA. Maybe that sort of program can be rolled out for other disorders as well in the future.

The Federal Government has slashed the number of people with disabilites in their workforce by half, so its a pretty bad example for private companies who see that. That really sucks.

I tried to find out how many people work in the commonwealth public service with MI. I got nowhere-they dont have any figures. I tried to get it out of the Disability Commisoners Office but got the run around until I gave up trying.

Anyway I wrote to the Disability Discrimination Commissioner about what she was going to do about helping to get employment for people with MI weeks ago.

I never even got an acknowledgement.

I also tried to find out how many older people were working in her office of Age Discrimination. I didnt get anywhere trying to find that out either.

Even when I tried to do volunteer work where I live, the options are almost non existant for people with schizophrenia.

[Alessandra1992]

It is pretty hard to come out, if there is so much discrimination in the workforce. However, I suppose there is also the point that everyone has a right to privacy so situation may not change for a while..

[ivana]

This won't ever happen because employers just want to protect their own bums from claims of discrimination.
This Government is forcing people with severe M.I to get a job however majority of employers wont employ them.
It's a devastating situation.

Employers can outwardly claim a person was not hired for other reasons,but the real reason was due to them disclosing about their mental illness.
You know, your not legally obliged to tell employers regarding your illness unless it would somehow interfere with your work abilities.

[kenny66]

I thought about not telling an employer about me being schizophrenic but an OH&S guy I know told me there can be serious repercussions for me if something goes wrong and you haven't told them, depending on what work you do and what MI you have as well. So its a catch 22.

As I said, the police and the army wont employ you (on safety grounds I guess) and there's probably a whole lot of others as well who don't hide the fact they wont employ people with MI. Anyway, whoever wont employ people with MI should be upfront about it.

Shocking thing is its probably well above 90% in that category.

No company or government I could find has a figure for MI people to be employed except the ACT. But they fell dismally short of the number of disabled people they were supposed to employ, so they are having another review. That's after they have already had 3 reviews.

[NikNik]

@kenny66  - Interesting thoughts.

I would be keen to know more legally about your point - "there can be serious repercussions for me if something goes wrong and you haven't told them, depending on what work you do and what MI you have as well." It seems very grey. Surely if you haven't been asked to disclose if you have a MI then you can't be held liable?

I'm not an expert in this area - so maybe we could find someone to help us out - maybe a Topic Tuesday special guest?