The Mental-Mental Muddle and Work Comp in Oregon. II.

To summarize, in the state of Oregon at this time, mental illness caused by employment is covered by workers' compensation insurance. There have recently been some legislative attempts to seriously restrict this and there probably will be some more in the future. As the law now stands, the job stress must be the major contributing cause as measured against any off the job stress. The on the job events producing the stress must exist in reality. A stress emanating primarily from a worker's misperception or paranoid thinking does not constitute an acceptable causative agent. Obviously it is not always that easy to distinguish between on the job causes and off the job causes and objective stresses and merely perceived stresses. And what about the individual who has faulty perceptions which lead to actions that provoke an objective response? As a psychiatrist, I am glad to see more recognition given to mental illness caused by the work place. I applaud the Oregon Supreme Court for pointing out that an organization has an obligation to somehow deal with stress-producing supervisors. I think we have to be on guard against those forces working through the legislature which try to minimize or deny the importance of mental illness. At the same time, though, we have to try to enlighten rather than confuse. Our expertise is in diagnosing and treating, not in constructing legal terminology. In my evaluation of the Leary case, I tried to explain to the best of my ability just what was going on.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)