Can you be sacked for taking antidepressants?..

[Thehogfatherstolemycurry]

If you work with children?
I work in an educational setting and a colleague recently told me that our boss had told her that if the doctor gave her antidepressants she would no longer be allowed to work there.
Is this true? I feel really bad that she is afraid to go to the doctor because she is in fear of losing her job.

That's absolute bollocks.

Assuming she's a union member, she should go to the union and raise a complaint against her boss.

Untrue.

No, we work in a very small establishment. I didn't think it could be right but couldn't find anything online.
Thanks

That's rubbish besides how is her employer going to know what medication any of his staff are on

I said that you don't have to declare your medication but she was worried about lying.
She asked for time off work for doctors appointment, mentioned it was for her mental health and boss said what I put above.
She cancelled the appointment with the doctor.

She asked for time off work for doctors appointment, mentioned it was for her mental health and boss said what I put above. She cancelled the appointment with the doctor.

Jesus Christ. The boss needs sacking, right now. That's absolutely appalling. Your poor friend.

Is this a school? I hope the parents know that the head teacher is a sadistic fucker.

Yes it's a school, but a small private one, not sure if same rules apply.

Yes it's a school, but a small private one, not sure if same rules apply.

There are no rules regarding taking anti-depressants and teaching children. The head is making crap up. Your friend has an open and shut case for constructive dismissal which would have uncapped damages as it is discrimination on the grounds of medical status.

There are a tiny handful of jobs where use of prescription drugs is reportable and requires case-by-case judgements. Airline pilots, for example. Teaching is not one of them. If your friend can get the head to repeat what they said in writing, a trip to an employment lawyer would be worthwhile.

The head is, of course, beneath contempt.

On the plus side for your colleague it'll be a cut and dried cast of unfair dismissal if it gets to that.

I mean what the flying fuck does this idiot boss think would be the result? Do they want a staff member with mental health issues at work, untreated? Because that's what'll happen.

English language school set up? Still wrong. If anything the concern should be for someone who wasn't getting treatment; suspect boss has got the wrong end of a safeguarding stick

Do they want a staff member with mental health issues at work, untreated?

No, they want the staff member to resign, and are hoping that by being cruel they can manage that.

Unfortunately, some school heads think they are the captain of sailing ships at sea in international waters, able to make up the law as they go along. Private schools doubly so. As you and I say: it's an open and shut case of constructive dismissal which would have employment lawyers salivating.

I'm guessing her boss has experience of antidepressants leaving someone drowsy, and not functioning well.

If someone takes medication that leaves them drowsy etc, then no, they shouldn't be responsible for young children.

But not all antideprssants have those side effects, and not everyone has the same reactions so a blanket ban is discriminatory.

Thanks all. I'll try to find something to show her that proves th I.

I work in a school and the head is very aware that I take antidepressants and he is very supportive towards the anxiety issues I have

Ha ha! Can you imagine if they got rid of all the teachers on antidepressants?

Half of the teachers I know are on antidepressants

loads of people take them and don’t tell their employers. Tell her to book to see the Dr and make sure she tells the DR about the threat of being sacked. Appalling.

businessadvice.co.uk/hr/employment-law/do-employees-need-to-disclose-to-their-employers-that-they-take-anti-depressants/

Complete, total and utter bullshit. As others have said.

Fuck sake! With the shit teachers have to put up with, I’m surprised they don’t make it compulsory for them to take antidepressants. I spent 25yrs working with patients that could be violent and I would still prefer that to being a teacher.

I work in education and I am on anti depressants. I had to take a day off recently because I couldn’t get out of bed and I couldn’t stop crying. I told my manager the truth. If I weren’t taking the anti depressants there would many More days lost to not being able to get out of bed.
What your friend has been told is discriminatory bullshit.