Recruitment Processes And Mental Health > Reasonable Accommodations

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[1] Equal Employment Opportunities Trust.Diversity Toolkits: Employing disabled people.[cited 2014 October]; Available from:http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/toolkits/disability.cfm?cache=455701.

[2] Gordon, G. and D. Peterson, What works: Positive experiences in open employment of mental health service users. 2014, Auckland, New Zealand: Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.

Examples

These examples have been collated from the following resources: 

  1. Employers' Forum on Disability and Workbridge, Manager's guide: A best practice approach to working with disabled employees. 2007: Employers' Forum on Disability.
  2. Acas, Promoting positive mental health at work booklet. 2014, Acas: United Kingdom.
  3. Workbridge. Workbridge - Real jobs for people with disabilities. 2014; Available from: http://www.workbridge.co.nz/?page=1.
  4. Mind., Mental health in the workplace: an employers guide. 2010, Mind: London, England.
  5. Working Women’s Resource Centre, One in Five: A Guide for Representing & Supporting Workers with Experience of Mental Illness. Working Women’s Resource Centre: New Zealand.
  6. Equal Employment Opportunities Trust.Diversity Toolkits: Employing disabled people. [cited 2014 October]; Available from:http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/toolkits/disability.cfm?cache=455701.
  7. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Workable: Reasonable accommodation. 2013 2013; Available from:http://prod.dol.govt.nz/er/workable/accommodation/index.asp.

Reasonable Accommodations

'Special accommodations will not necessarily be required when hiring an applicant with mental health problems. However, providing a safe, effective working environment which encourages productivity and creativity will ensure employers get the best from all workers.'[1]

Recent employment research by Like Minds, Like Mine found that, where special arrangements were in place for employees with experience of mental illness, they were generally simple, and were mainly reflective of good employment practice for all employees, such as flexible working hours or sick leave.[2]

Special accommodations may include: 

  • adjusting work schedules so that people can work at their best times
  • providing flexible or part-time work hours
  • allowing flexible breaks
  • having flexible sick leave provision
  • providing technology (e.g. a computer when working away from the office or software to structure time)
  • providing private space to work or ways to block noise
  • changing how work duties are performed
  • identifying strengths and focusing work around these
  • providing a workplace buddy, job coach, or mentor.

Workable: Reasonable accommodation

MBIE: Employment Relations

Information for employers and disabled workers on reasonable accommodations in the workplace in relation to disability, including specific resources on mental health.


Interviews and Recruitment

Workbridge

Examples of the types of accommodations which can be useful for people with a range of disabilities for Interviews and Recruitment.


Making reasonable accommodations

Workbridge

Information on guidance on making accommodations for people with different types of disabilities, injury and illness.

 
Mental Health Foundation
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