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Stress in the Workplace
Stress in the workplace has become a common topic in the modern age. Most employees, at one point or another, have suffered stress or anxiety due to their jobs. However, when those intense emotions become a daily part of the job or are caused by harmful working conditions, it can quickly become a severe issue. Chronic stress contributes to the worsening of many other health conditions and can negatively impact a worker’s mental and physical health.
Excessive stress due to work can lead to constant emotional distress, most commonly attributed to anxiety and depression. Chronic stress also can have long-term effects on one’s health and can lead to cardiovascular issues like high blood pressure. Other common short-term physical symptoms include fatigue, constant headaches, insomnia, digestive problems, and muscle tension. If you or a loved one are a victim of chronic stress, it could be possible to seek legal compensation. At Espinoza Law Group, we have experience dealing with worker’s compensation cases and would like to provide the legal help you deserve. For a free consultation, call Espinoza Law Group at 213-667-0701 today.
Workers’ Rights
Thankfully, measures are in place to protect workers from unhealthy stress. Workplace safety is often overseen by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA), which requires employers to provide a safe work environment free from known threats that can harm employees, including overwhelming stress. In fact, OSHA has an official webpage offering more information on workplace stress, including resources and statistics. Employers usually conduct regular assessments to ascertain stress levels and implement measures to improve the professional environment. Common causes of chronic stress due to workplace environment include:
- Poor management practices
- Unrealistic deadlines
- Harassment
- Discrimination
- Miscommunication between workers
If workers can prove that their overwhelming work environment directly causes their chronic stress, they could be compensated according to workers’ compensation laws. If any of these stressors sound familiar, you could be entitled to compensation through medical treatment and temporary or permanent disability benefits.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers are obligated to provide reasonable accommodation to workers with disabilities, including mental and physical health conditions that are related to stress. Employers must engage with their employees directly to determine the necessary accommodations or measures for their conditions. Legal action could be taken if your employer fails to fulfill its responsibility to create a safe work environment for workers. However, before deciding to file a legal claim relating to work-related chronic stress, there are some challenges to consider moving forward.
Legal Challenges
As mentioned previously, for a worker to pursue a legal claim regarding chronic stress, they need to prove that their stress-related health conditions are either caused or worsened by their work environment. They also usually need to state how the health condition worsens and impacts their quality of life. It is also helpful for the claim if the worker has proof that their employer was negligent and did not take appropriate steps to accommodate the worker. Obtaining the evidence needed for this can often take time and effort. Still, the evidence that could be useful is medical records, expert testimonies from medical professionals (such as a psychiatrist or psychologist), information about work conditions, or even witnesses who can testify to lousy work practices.
However, the main challenge someone filing a legal claim in this situation will face is establishing the direct link between the stress-related condition and the work conditions. Evidence is most undoubtedly valuable, but it can still be a complicated process, especially if the condition has multiple factors that could affect the severity of its impact. For example, one common symptom of chronic stress is the worsening of cardiovascular health. However, cardiovascular health is heavily influenced by other factors, such as diet and lifestyle. Therefore, proving that the stress-related condition is correlated explicitly to the worker’s environment can be more demanding depending on the health condition. Attempting to do this by yourself can be overwhelming and confusing. Seeking help from an attorney with experience in this field would better your chances of constructing a solid legal claim and give you additional insight into navigating the legal process needed for the claim.
How to Move Forward
In the contemporary world, being a victim of work-related chronic stress is not an uncommon issue. Work stress is usually brushed off by many and not taken seriously, but it impacts people daily. Stress is proven to be a common factor in heart conditions, digestive issues, muscle aches, and much more that could affect someone’s day-to-day life. Additionally, constant work stress can heavily impact mental health, adding further anguish to those who are victims of unhealthy work conditions. Every worker deserves to feel safe in their environment. Unfortunately, most people don’t know about the measures they could take to better their work environment.
If you know that work-related stress has impacted your health or worsened a pre-existing condition, California has worker’s laws to protect you. At Espinoza Law Group, we want to hear your case and get you the legal assistance you deserve. Espinoza Law Group has previously handled worker compensation cases and offers quality legal services to those who need them. Call Espinoza Law Group today at 213-667-0701 or visit our website.
