Briefing: A shiver of anxiety ran through the body...

BMJ 1999;319:S3-7220 ( 13 November )

Briefing

A shiver of anxiety ran through the body of employers in 1995 when the High Court awarded heavy compensation to a social workerwho sustained a "psychological injury" caused by stressful conditionsat work (IDS Brief 1999;648:7-8). A recent county court judgementstrengthened this precedent, awarding damages equivalent to fiveyears" earnings to an employee who developed severe depressionafter being redeployed without appropriate training. The courtagreed that the employer had been negligent in requiring her toundertake stressful and demanding work without assessing her abilityto doit.