Friend being forced out of job due to extra duties

[sola82]

My friend has been working for the same employer as me for over 10 years. They have plans to make some reduncies and are moving one of the responsibilities from the group that are being made redundant onto a different group of employees that includes my friend.
The two groups of employees have completely separate roles and are not connected. The new responsibility is completely different than my friends current role.
The issue is that my friend cannot do this extra work because of specific mental health issues. She would never apply for a job where this was a part of it. She has provided medical evidence supporting this but has been told by our employer that she is acting unprofessional and if she refuses to take on the new responsibility she can leave.

She's so stressed out about this. Surely she cannot be forced to take on the new responsibility against medical advice?

Without knowing what the actual responsibility is it is hard to advise. Clearly if there was a physical disability that prevented her from carrying out a task that is more obvious.

Is her mental health condition a disability?

Does she have a union she can talk to or is there an occupational health department, this needs to be flagged up with someone, maybe hrtoo. If there is a genuine valid medical reason she cannot undertake these new duties then she could speak to her GP again. It would be a shame to have to leave a job after 10 years especially if shes happy there. She can also seek advice from A.C.A.S.

She is not a member of a union unfortunately.
I don't think the MH issue would count as a disability, it is not something that would affect her actual job in any way at all. It is very specific to the new responsibility.
She spoke to a manager about it a few weeks ago when they were rumours about It and she was told they would look into it for her. Then she was told in a staff meeting (by a new manager) in front of everyone she would have to do it.
I'll advise her to speak to HR? She doesn't want to leave the job.

That's unkind and unprofessional to discuss it in front of others, i hope it was just a general,statement and that she wasn't singled out. She should speak to h.r, and occupational health if there is one, is it a large organisation. She needs to ask the manager what she did to look into it and what advice she was given, by who and in writing.

MIND have a website about work and support which may help.

Thanks for your advice. The manager she spoke to originally is below the one who told her she has to take on the new responsibility and she is going along with the other manager now.
I will tell her to speak to HR and see what happens

Mental health issues are considered a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Have a read of this and it might help with discussions with HR about reasonable adjustments. If there is medical opinion which supports your friend use that too. Good luck, and get joined up to a union.