Workplace trauma and the law

The law places increasing responsibilities on organizations to protect its workforce from psychological injury. This paper looks at the development of British law relating to traumatic stress and explores a growing concern of clinicians that the law and the legal processes themselves may increase the psychological injury of victims of traumatic stress. The statutory requirement for organizations to provide effective support for employees following a traumatic incident is enshrined in law. However organizations are confused by the conflicting statements on the effectiveness of debriefing and trauma counselling.