Disability claims are soaring in the federal public service

PSAC finds high stress and work-life balance key causes

Ottawa (6 Nov. 2007) - Disability claims have soared to a 37-year high in the federal public service because of job stress and problems related to work-life balance, according to data compiled by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).

"The federal government is a cesspool right now," says James Infantino, a PSAC pensions and disability insurance officer. "The stress levels are inconceivable, actually."

Infantino spoke with the Ottawa Citizen after making a presentation to PSAC local officers.

His findings follow a major federal study posted without comment on the Treasury Board website last July. Commissioned in 2004 by the former Liberal government, it found high rates of depression in the public service.

The federal study did not explain why rising numbers of public employees are unable to work because of psychological problems.

Infantino says three distinct trends have emerged in disability claims studied by PSAC:

• More claims are being filed (2,908 last year – one claim for every 13.54 members of the federal disability plan). "We've never seen disability incidence rates that high," Infantino said.
• Women, who have traditionally filed more claims than men, are doing so in even greater numbers now. Women make up 54% of all federal public employees but they file two thirds of all disability claims, a gap of 13.1%. In 1991, when they made up 45% of federal employees, they filed 51.4% of all claims.
• Cases related to depression and anxiety have risen significantly. In 1991, 23.7% of claims were approved for these causes. The percentage now is 45.1%.

"Almost one out of every two claims filed in the federal public service cites depression or anxiety as the primary disability," Infantino said.

The seriousness of the situation is underlined by the fact that such claims can only be filed when employees have exhausted all sick leave or waited out a 13-week elimination period, whichever is longer.

"We're not talking about your blue Mondays," Infantino said. "What we've got is people who've been off at least 13 weeks who say 'I cannot come to work because I am depressed and/or anxious, and I have certified medical evidence of that.' That's quite disconcerting when you think of the number of claims filed for that particular reason."

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The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring that our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE