Don’t Struggle in Silence: Let the Laws Do Their Part

The pandemic and the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) had undoubtedly, altered many facets of people’s lives besides amplifying their level of stress. From a workplace perspective, COVID-19 had strained relationships between employers and employees. This chapter emphasises on the necessity of preserving employees’ mental health to ensure long-term well-being in the workplace. This framework places a strong focus on the control measures offered by legal provisions as protection for employees with mental health issues. Due attention is focused on the Malaysian scenario on mental health matters and the legislative framework for mental health protection. Recommendations are highlighted and reforms to boost the effectiveness of the existing legal provisions are suggested, wherever necessary. The discussion also focuses on the approaches taken by other jurisdictions particularly, the United Kingdom (England and Wales). The UK has rich legal provisions for mental health protection, especially in the context of the workplace. The choice of focusing on the UK is justified because the Malaysian legal system was substantially shaped by British colonialisation, both statutorily and in practice. In addition, a glance through the practices of other countries, such as the US, Singapore, and Australia are also benchmarked in this chapter for guidance.