Ontario employers are increasingly aware of mental health issues but confused about how to help workers, the province's human rights commission said Wednesday.

The commission's annual report called attention to discrimination against people with mental illness and the need for education on protecting their rights.

Ontario residents "are aware they have obligations or rights," said Barbara Hall, the chief commissioner.

But "they don't know how to address it or to meet their obligations, so there's a lot of requests for education," she added.

Employers have shown "enormous interest" in learning how to accommodate workers with mental illness, Hall said, noting her colleagues in other provinces have experienced similar demand for advice.

The commission plans to issue a new mental health policy in the next year that will interpret the province's human rights laws and lay out best practices.

The policy will be informed by widespread consultations, including an online survey and focus groups with patients in psychiatric facilities.

The report stressed that people with mental health disabilities and addictions continue to face barriers in accessing housing, employment and services.

Robin Chapchuk lost her teaching job while undergoing in-patient treatment for depression 10 years ago. She said a colleague, not her employer, broke the news to her.

"I thought I would be going back to work eventually," the Toronto resident said. "It was devastating. It was the last thing I needed to hear."

She said having clear rules would help people with mental illness at a time when they're most vulnerable.

Catherine Zahn, president and CEO of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, said education plays a key role in combating discrimination and prejudice.

"We have pretty significant safeguards in place in our society to guard against discrimination, but they appear not to be equally applied," she said.

"In many instances, it's a matter of having employers or institutions of higher learning or housing agencies understand what the law is and understand that the law applies to all people."

The report also flagged another issue -- a rise in cases that pit two human rights against each other, such as the rights to avoid discrimination based on religion and sexual orientation.

The commission is working on a framework to ensure the same principles are applied in resolving those conflicts.

"As a society, we're trying to figure those things out," Hall said.

The mandatory annual report provides a snapshot of the commission's activities from the past year and sets priorities for the future.