As an employer, you have legal duties to protect your staff’s health, safety and wellbeing. These responsibilities cover both mental and physical health.
Meeting your legal duties isn’t just about compliance. It also helps you build a fairer workplace where people feel safe, valued and supported.
Here’s what you need to know:
Equality Act 2010 – Supporting mental health at work
The Equality Act protects people with long-term mental health conditions from discrimination.
Someone is considered disabled if a mental health condition has a ‘substantial’ (more than minor or trivial) and ‘long-term’ (12 months or more) impact on their day-to-day life.
If an employee is covered, you must make what are known as ‘reasonable adjustments’ so they are not disadvantaged at work. This could mean flexible hours, extra breaks, or small changes to workload.
You can read more about how the law works from Mind and Rethink. ACAS also has practical advice about reasonable adjustments
Managing work-related stress – Your health and safety duty
Employers also have a responsibility to protect staff from work-related stress, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and related regulations.
This means looking at the risks, taking steps to reduce them, and creating a safe and healthy workplace culture. Many organisations do this through regular stress risk assessments and by making sure staff have the right support in place.
You can find guidance on how to do this from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Who to call for advice
If you need help understanding your responsibilities, support is available:
- ACAS helpline – 0300 123 1100: free, impartial guidance on workplace law and employer responsibilities.
- Mind Legal Line – 0300 466 6463: legal information and advice specifically on mental health-related issues at work.