What legal protections are available for people with mental illness in the workplace?

People with mental illness in the workplace are legally protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Virginia Human Rights Act. The ADA prohibits employers from discriminating against job applicants and employees with disabilities, including mental illness. This means employers may not deny job applicants employment or take negative action against employed people due to their mental illness. Employers must make reasonable workplace accommodations for people with disabilities. An example of a reasonable accommodation is providing additional work breaks for a person with a mental illness. The Virginia Human Rights Act also prohibits discrimination against people with mental health issues. This means that employers cannot take negative action against a person because of their mental health condition. The Virginia Human Rights Act also requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to people with mental illness, if possible. Employers are not allowed to ask job applicants about their mental health history or request medical documentation of mental health conditions. Additionally, employers are not allowed to terminate employees or take negative action against them due to their mental illness, unless it affects their ability to do the job. In summary, people with mental illness are legally protected in the workplace in Virginia. The ADA and the Virginia Human Rights Act prohibit employers from discriminating against people with mental illness and must provide reasonable workplace accommodations.

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What legal protections are available for people with mental illness in the workplace?

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