Mary Conroy

In the following viewpoint, Mary Conroy asserts that laws requiring reasonable accommodations for mentally ill employees are necessary and do not create an unfair burden on employers. Conroy argues that mentally ill people are unfairly stigmatized and are entitled to perform their jobs in a supportive environment. Conroy is a freelance writer in Madison, Wisconsin.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Cathy Hazelbaker, as cited by the author, what five psychiatric illnesses have physical origins?
2. What were some of the fears of employers following the release of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidelines, as stated by the author?
3. What misconception about mental illness has been influenced by movies, in Conroy’s opinion"

An attorney had a form of schizophrenia. Like many schizophrenics, she could be very...