Legal and Normative Aspects Applicable to Workers' Mental Health: Bill to Regulate Psychosocial Risks in Brazil

Abstract

Background: The post-pandemic historical moment of COVID-19 has had consequences on the mental health of workers, evidenced by the growing statistics of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, panic syndrome, burnout syndrome, psychotic episodes, alcohol and drug addiction, stress, fatigue, and professional exhaustion. Aims: Analyse the recommendations of the International Labour Organization and the Brazilian laws applicable to occupational mental health to identify documents that address intervening laws in workers' mental health in the international scientific literature and introduce Bill 3,588/2020, which aims to regulate occupational psychosocial risks. Methods: Narrative review of the scientific literature in the databases Scopus, Lilacs BVS, PubMed, Cinhal, and Ebesco and document analysis of Brazilian legislation and international recommendations on workers' mental health and norms related to exposure to occupational psychosocial risks and measures of intervention in mental health. Results: The International Labour Organization established three Conventions to protect workers' health. In the Brazilian legal system, six broad and general norms were identified. The narrative prediction resulted in nine intervening laws that address the worker's mental health. Conclusion: In Brazil, there is no specific legislation regarding the worker's right to mental health, nor any regulation through Regulatory Norms, which demonstrates the need for the approval of Bill 3,588/2020, pending in the National Congress, which aims at regulating psychosocial risks, such as intervention, management, and prevention measures capable of minimizing mental illness at work.