Does having been on a 'section' reduce your chances of getting a job?

Abstract

Aims and method: To ascertain employers'attitudes to interviewing and hiring job applicants with a history of mental illness and, in particular, to assess the potential effect on job prospects for applicants with a history of admission under the Mental Health Act 1983. A postal tick-box questionnaire was sent to 174 companies; there was a 32% response rate. Results: The main factors influencing employers' hiring decisions were medical opinion regarding an applicant's fitness to work and their employment and sickness records. In about three-quarters of small companies and half of large companies, questions about mental illness are simply never asked. Clinical implications: Approved social workers have no reason to caution people assessed under the Mental Health Act 1983 that being detained could harm their job prospects.