A recent House of Lords ruling explores issues of liability on the suicide of an employee. Caroline Doran and Victoria Lee report
The courts accept that pressure at work can take its toll on both our physical and mental wellbeing. Over the years the courts have accepted that overwork, bullying, lack of supervision and pace of work can all cause work stress. The mental consequences of stress range from sleeplessness through to clinical depression and suicide.
In , they have a name for “overwork-related deaths” (including suicides): karojisatsu. This is officially recognised and compensated. Figures released in May 2007 showed that, of the record 205 individuals in qualifying for worker's compensation insurance payouts in 2006, 65 involved suicide.
Corr v IBC Vehicles
The recent decision by the House of Lords, in Corr v IBC Vehicles Ltd [2008] UKHL 13 HL, [2006] All ER (D) 466 (Mar) sent shockwaves through the business community.
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