Mental illness comprises a spectrum of health conditions that millions of people face every day. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness each year, with 1 out of 20 adults living with a severe mental condition. The symptoms of a mental illness can affect every aspect of a person’s life, including their job. For example, you may run into limitations at work, like difficulty concentrating, low energy levels or an inability to handle tasks or tight deadlines. These factors can have a negative impact not only on your mental health but on your job performance.
In addition, work itself can worsen the symptoms of your mental illness, regardless of whether you have an in-person or virtual job. Fortunately, if you have a mental illness, you have protection from the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA protects employees with disabilities, like mental health conditions, from discrimination. With backing from the ADA, you can request mental health accommodations from your employers.
Discussing your mental health can be uncomfortable and feel intrusive about your personal life, so here’s a guide to help you navigate this situation with your employer.
Types of mental health conditions and accommodations
Living with a mental health condition can affect your job performance. The ADA labels psychiatric and mental health conditions as mental impairments. These are any mental health conditions that hinder your ability to participate in significant life activities like communicating, learning and working. You have protected workplace rights if your mental health condition meets ADA criteria.
Here are some mental health conditions that can impact your work performance:
Post-traumatic stress disorder
PTSD can cause memories of traumatic events and distress from things that echo those experiences. Employees with PTSD may demonstrate low productivity levels and recurring job absences.
Bipolar disorder
Mood swings or episodes are a common symptom of bipolar disorder that can disrupt a person’s energy levels, concentration and sleep patterns, potentially lowering their job performance.
Depression or anxiety
The symptoms of depression and anxiety can significantly impact productivity, leading to an estimated 12 billion working days lost worldwide every year.
Schizophrenia-spectrum disorders
Schizophrenia disorders primarily affect how employees manage social situations at work. Incoherence, hallucinations, irrational thinking, disorganized speech and other factors can impact the work performance of people with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.
Examples of mental health accommodations in the workplace
You can discuss accommodations with your employer if you have one of the conditions mentioned above or another mental illness that meets ADA criteria. Employers can create reasonable accommodations tailored to your mental health needs.
Your employer can use the following methods to accommodate your mental health condition:
Flexible scheduling or time off
Depending on the type of work you do, you may be able to telecommute, work part time or adjust your shift start and/or end times. In addition, your employer can offer sick leave for mental health reasons, flexible vacation time or extended breaks.
Removal of distractions
Your management team can reduce workplace distractions by adjusting telephone volume, allowing noise-canceling headphones or adding room dividers.
Relocation or modification of workspace
Your employer may move you to an area with fewer environmental distractions, or they may allow you to work in a private office or virtually.
Modified work or training materials
An employer can provide software that helps you stay organized, tape recorders for meetings or modified training materials.
Enhanced lighting options
Light sensitivity can be an issue for many individuals. Employers can assist by increasing natural light in the office, reducing fluorescent lighting where possible or modifying dress codes to allow personal solutions, such as wearing hats or sunglasses indoors.
Managing a mental health condition while working can be difficult, but there are ways to make adjustments at your job if your employer is willing to do so. Unfortunately, not all employers will be aware of these mental health accommodations, so you may have to ask for assistance.
Tips for requesting workplace accommodations
Your mental health can be a sensitive subject to share with your employer. However, since many employers may be unaware of your ADA rights, you may have to speak about your mental illness to get those accommodations. Therefore, it’s crucial to address the situation in a way that allows you to comfortably share your concerns without disclosing too much information to your employer.
Here are some tips for requesting mental health accommodations at your workplace.
Pick the right time and person to ask
Whether you’re a new hire or a longtime employee, you may worry that you’ve missed your window to discuss your mental health with your employer, or that you’re somehow cheating or deceiving your employer by asking for what you need after going without. Fortunately, you can request an ADA accommodation at any time in your work relationship, so there’s no deadline to address your concerns.
Try to pick a suitable time to have this conversation with your employer. You always want to ensure you’re considerate of other people’s time. It may be best to schedule a meeting to discuss your accommodations to ensure that the person you choose is available.
You can choose who you want to share your mental health concerns with, though the Social Security Administration recommends you speak with your human resources department. In your meeting, you can say something like, “I would like to discuss the challenges I’m having with getting my work done.” After the conversation, your HR representative can verify your condition and continue the accommodation process.
Be comfortable with what you disclose
Sharing details about your mental health, whether minor or major, can be uncomfortable. Before initiating the conversation with your employer, consider what you will and won’t discuss about your health. Remind yourself that you’re facing challenges at work due to a psychiatric or mental condition that qualifies for ADA accommodation. Although your condition must be verified using ADA guidelines, you don’t have to disclose any information you feel is too personal.
Be as specific as possible about your needs
Aim to be as detailed about your needs as you can. Although you don’t need to disclose your mental health condition, you will need to discuss what difficulties you’re having with your assigned tasks. You’re more likely to get the accommodations if you explain how they can improve your job performance.
Be reasonable in your requested accommodations
Try to stay moderate with your mental health accommodation requests. You should ask for reasonable mental health accommodations protected by the ADA. Reasonable accommodations are any changes to the job, job tasks or work environment that allows people with a disability to perform their work duties. If your request is deemed unreasonable, your employer has the right to deny it.
Examples of unreasonable accommodations include:
- Eliminating your primary job responsibilities entirely
- Providing personal items or services, like a weighted blanket, therapy sessions or mobility aids
- Creating a new job
The ADA doesn’t prohibit your employer from giving you these accommodations, but they’re not required to give them to you.
What if you’re not sure what changes you need?
You may need to figure out what accommodations you need to improve your job performance. If you’re in this situation, you can speak with your employer about potential solutions to accommodate your needs. If you’re not ready to talk with your employer, you can seek guidance outside the workplace.
Here are some resources that can guide you in choosing work accommodations:
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Job Accommodation Network
- US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Your support system (e.g., friends and family)
- Your therapist
These resources can help you determine how your mental illness affects your work and what accommodations can assist you at work.
What if your employer can’t or won’t accommodate?
It’s ultimately up to the employer to decide if they will accept your mental health accommodations. Your employer may deny your request because they don’t have the resources, or because they simply do not want to provide the accommodations. For example, your employer may claim an undue hardship, which limits their ability to accommodate your requests. Undue hardship is any action that can cause financial or administrative difficulties for the employer.
If your accommodation request is denied:
- Consider filing an appeal, if you believe the accommodation is reasonable.
- Get advocacy or legal support.
- File a federal complaint with the EEOC under the ADA.
- Find other employment opportunities.
It can be challenging to manage a mental illness while handling daily obligations. However, if you need support, in-person and online resources can help you navigate mental health challenges inside and outside the workplace