Mental health leaves of absence are surging in 2024
Despite the influx of new wellness apps and employee benefits, workers are still struggling — to the point that they need to take a medical leave of absence.
According to mental health services provider ComPsych, mental health-related leaves of absence have increased by 300% between 2017 and 2023; by 2024, they increased by 22%, with one in ten of all leaves of absence now due to mental health. Notably, employees who need this time off aren’t guaranteed full pay.
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, employees are entitled to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if they’re experiencing a serious health condition or have to care for a sick loved one. Severe mental health conditions can qualify employees for short-term disability, which typically covers at least a portion of the wages.
In other words, with the exception of employees who have access to more progressive leave policies, an increasing number of workers are willing to forgo at least some of their pay to take time away from their job. For Dr. Jennifer Birdsall, licensed clinical psychologist and clinical director at ComPsych, it’s clear workers have reached their breaking point, and for a good number of reasons.
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“There are increased chronic stressors we are facing as a nation and across the world: the pandemic, civil unrest and community violence, an unpredictable economy and a polarized political environment,” says Dr. Birdsall. “We’ve seen an increase in personal stressors, such as caregiving. There’s so much contributing to those feelings of [being] burned out and overwhelmed.”
Dr. Birdsall points out that women accounted for 71% of all mental health leaves of absence in 2024, a two percent jump from last year. Given that women disproportionately take on caregiving responsibilities, Dr. Birdsall wasn’t surprised that they were the ones who needed leave the most. And caregiving hasn’t gotten any easier, as working parents are often responsible for children and elderly parents — according to insurance company Guardian, the average time devoted to caregiving has tripled since 2020 to 26 hours per week.
“Working Americans who provide care to loved ones are still predominantly women,” says Dr. Birdsall. “They are struggling with competing responsibilities, but don’t want to reach out for help. They worry their managers might believe they don’t have the capacity to take on more opportunities at work, so they try to barrel through it until they hit a tipping point, and then it’s too late.”
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Work remains another major driver of stress: According to the American Psychological Association, 88% of workers feel “used up at the end of the day.” Whether remote work has proven too isolating or return-to-office mandates have thrown off employees’ sense of work-life balance, the last four years have not been easy on workers, says Dr. Birdsall. Not to mention, workers in industries hit by layoffs may have taken on more responsibilities to make up for their downsized team.
Dr. Birdsall encourages employers to at least do their best not to be part of the problem. She recommends companies establish manager training programs specifically around mental health and burnout. According to UKG, managers impact employees’ mental health more than doctors or therapists. In fact, managers are on par with an employee’s spouse or partner.
“We should train managers on topics like how to spot employees who are struggling, how to have supportive conversations about mental health and how to make recommendations to a team member about how their benefits can help them,” says Dr. Birdsall. “We want managers who can support a positive mental health culture.”
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Dr. Birdsall also advises employers to assess their benefits and reflect on whether employees have the resources to care for their mental health. She warns leaders against ignoring this trend, and instead, to invest in benefits and policies that make it possible for people to do their best at their jobs.
“We know there’s a disconnect between how employers feel their benefits are supporting the workers and how the employees actually feel,” says Dr. Birdsall. “But make sure you’re really thinking about your leadership and culture too.”
