Global Employment Law - Global News & Commentary on Labor and Employment Issues Worldwide

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The economic crisis continues to impact workers' emotions and working conditions, reports MSNBC. Increased competition for jobs and heightened demands on workers whose productivity must increase to compensate for smaller workforces, coupled with personal issues related to the economy's slow recovery, are impacting workers' well-being. For those not yet personally benefitting from the economic upswing of which the media reports, frustration increases.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported that in 2008 workplace suicides jumped 28% to 251 cases, up from 196 the previous year. Although the number is relatively small compared to the overall national level (33,000 in 2006), workplace-related suicides have garnered international media attention lately, as seven workers at one Chinese manufacturing plant have killed themselves this year, with another two having attempted the same.

In the United States there has been an uptick in calls to mental-wellness hotlines. Employment assistance programs and mental health experts encourage individuals to seek help to cope with the stresses of their work and personal lives. At the Chinese factory, trained counselors have been retained, and monks have been invited, to provide emotional support for the workers.