Manager’s Depression Recognized as Work Injury Following Harsh Employee Complaint Letter

A manager at the National Insurance Institute in Israel developed depression after employees sent a severe anonymous complaint letter demanding relief from her management. The letter accused her of extreme mood swings and abusive behavior, prompting the branch manager to present it to her along with a summons for a disciplinary hearing. The manager denied the allegations, claiming she was falsely accused, but subsequently stopped attending work due to the emotional distress caused by the letter.

The Tel Aviv Regional Labor Court examined the case, appointing a psychiatric expert who found a causal link between the complaint letter and the manager’s mental health condition, diagnosing an adjustment disorder with depressive symptoms that sometimes reached major depressive episode levels. Based on this expert opinion, the court recognized her depression as a work-related injury.

As a result, the manager is expected to receive monthly compensation from the National Insurance Institute after a medical committee determines her disability percentage. The court also ordered the National Insurance Institute to pay her 7,500 shekels for legal fees and expenses. Her attorney, Elisher Feingersh, emphasized the ruling’s significance, stating it confirms that severe workplace incidents like serious employee accusations and disciplinary summons can trigger mental health conditions qualifying as work injuries.