Suffering a nervous breakdown at work isn't just a health crisis; it is a serious employment risk. Many employees assume their mental health protects them from termination, but the reality is harsh: if your employer is unaware of your medical condition, they can legally fire you for "poor performance" or "bad behavior" stemming from your untreated anxiety. This guide explains why silence is your enemy. We outline the critical legal steps you must take to protect your job, how to properly trigger your rights to medical accommodation, and why transitioning to a protected medical leave is safer than trying to "push through" a crisis alone.
Most employees only think about legal protection after they have been fired. By then, it is often too late to recover the emails, contracts, and performance reviews needed to prove your case. This guide offers ten critical, proactive steps every Ontario employee should take today, from securing your own copy of the employment contract to documenting verbal promises in writing. We explain why you must never use work email for personal matters and how to discreetly preserve evidence of a toxic workplace. These simple habits can mean the difference between walking away empty-handed and securing the severance package you deserve.