Mentally Ill and Employment

[Channing]

I was reading through one of my roommates job manuals the other day just out of curiousity concerning benefits and what not. And I ran across the classic tome:

No discrimination concerning employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability.

Almost at every job in America this law is stated. The no discrimination circa. I was wondering how do you feel about mentally ill people in the work place? I've worked with different races, extremely elderly people, and on one occasion a male with bi polar disorder. So I've gotten a mild taste of everything listed and I noticed shortly after the bi polar male returned to work he was swiftly transferred to another store and I do not know why.

I worked shortly there after with another mentally impaired individual who currently still works at the store today. And I'd say he does a very well job at what he does. Though other situations could speak differently. So far I've seen nothing to prohibit the thought of mentally handicapped people working in the workplace. Though I figured it'd be a suitable discussion. ;O

[bipper]

This little snippet is a flat out lie. As you must discriminate against these characteristics at one point or another. You can't have the man with no arms be a cashier...

With that said, most places would need to put a note there that says they will meet reasonable commendations.

As far as working with these types; I don't mind it at all, and I am glad that they are welcomed so many places. This is healthy for the economy, the employee, and even the employer as it shows they do care. I like working with disabled people, as many of these people do not get out with the means that we do, and work represents alot to them. Most people I have met whom are mentally ill, are actually very nice people, whom actually think more about others than commonplace people; I think that makes people deserving of more merit than most anything.

Bipper

[udsuna]

As long as that mental illness doesn't put them under catagory of "criminally insane", I'd happily work alongside most. Of course, I'm good at finding jobs that involve me mostly working completely alone, so it's hardly like I have the opportunity often.

[Gnostic Yevon]

I suppose it depends on the disability.

I don't think it would be particularlly good to have a person with multple personallities or schizophrenia working in retail. Great way to scare off customers. Mild MI, sure, no problem. A depressed person woun't scare people like a person talking to his hallucinations, or disrupt things like a person who one day thinks they're "Susan Smith" and then gets stressed and thinks they're "Mary Worth", or worse yet "Aeris". Not to make light of it, but you see the point, especially if one of the personalities is violent or something.

Same with a disability. If the guy is unable to do things and keep up, he shouldn't be doing them.

[Lionx]

No discrimination concerning employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age or disability.

Everything said here is just to appease the public, we all know that is not true. >_>;

[Vyk]

We have a very slow individual at work right now. Its kinda odd always having to watch out for him and explain things over and over. Its sad but its too much like babysitting for me. As I'm the one that's supposed to train him, yet I barely have time to get my own work done, let alone hold someone's hand while they do theirs. Thankfully though he's starting to catch on to things. But it was really rough there for a while.

[Reles]

Well obviously if a man has no arms they're not going to hire him as a cashier. >.> I used to work with a blind man and he cleaned the windows outside the theatre and was also VERY good at it. Also there, I worked with a mentally ill person and he was great. But their jobs are very limited of course. You can't have the blind man handle money or anything. So far I haven't complained about anyone with disabilties, they tend to do the job just as good as I would, well my first job was only busy work anyway.