(Bloomberg Business) — The news that the pilot of the Germanwings jet that crashed had been judged unfit for work by a doctor, citing an unspecified mental illness, raises tough questions about mental health in the workplace.

How can employers respect workers' privacy while preventing people suffering from serious mental illness from putting themselves or others at risk on the job? How can companies assist those who need help without intruding on their workers' private lives?

Mental health problems are pervasive. In Europe, an estimated 27 percent of adults — 83 million people — have had trouble with disorders such as depression, substance abuse, or anxiety in the last year, according to the World Health Organization. The percentage is similar in the United States.

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