Sick Leave Orders and Return-to-Work Requests: A Case of Adjustment Disorder in an Employee Suspected Neurodevelopmental Disorder

Abstract

This moot court case examines the handling of a company’s sick leave order and the employee’s subsequent return-to-work request, where the employee developed adjustment disorder and was suspected of having neurodevelopmental disorder. Lawyers and physicians representing both the employee and employer discussed key issues including whether the cause for sick had been resolved, and whether sufficient efforts had been made by both the employee towards recovery and the company towards avoiding dismissal. Through this discussion, it was reaffirmed that the field of occupational health law offers numerous opportunities for intervention before disputes escalate to litigation requiring binary outcomes. This requires essential collaboration among labor management professionals, occupational health specialists, and various other disciplines.