Mental illness and the workplace: conceal or reveal?

Doctors are frequently asked by patients whether they should disclose a mental illness when applying for work. Recognizing the potential for discrimination on the part of employers, many doctors advise concealment. However, concealment is attended by legal and psychological disadvantages. In this paper we discuss the pros and cons of disclosure and concealment that underlie this dilemma, and conclude that the current legal safeguards are unsatisfactory. We call for clarification of the law to support people with mental illness who wish to work, in the form of a specific amendment to the current Equality Bill.

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