Managing Absenteeism and Leave Due to Mental Health
How Are You, REALLY?
Our understanding of mental health in the workplace has come a long way in recent years. Supporting employees' mental well-being has become a top priority for HR professionals—and for good reason. Everyday workplace stress, combined with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns about the economy, and other challenges, has led to a rise in stress-related issues like anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles. It’s a conversation we can’t afford to overlook.
One of the biggest challenges in supporting employees with mental health concerns is awareness. Many employees don’t realize they can request accommodations, and they often wait until their work performance is affected to speak up—if they do at all. This can lead to lower productivity, absenteeism, and even losing great talent.
Organizations are starting to recognize just how important it is to prioritize mental health. The challenge now is figuring out how to create a strong, effective program that truly supports employees, while also helping manage absenteeism and leave related to mental health issues.
Let’s explore!
The big question for employers is: how can we provide ongoing, sustainable support for our employees’ mental well-being? Studies show that organizations offering preventive, holistic approaches can make a lasting, positive impact on their workforce’s mental health.
Creativity and personalized care are key to making a real difference. Employees need support that fits their unique circumstances, and organizations that invest in this type of robust mental health care see long-term benefits in retention and talent acquisition.
While traditional Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have been helpful, they’re often geared toward short-term solutions. These programs may not always meet the growing need for longer-term, highly personalized mental health support.
It’s also important to recognize that employees’ needs vary widely—some may seek counseling, others may work with a health coach, and some might simply need a day to recharge. A one-size-fits-all approach just doesn’t cut it.
By combining innovative digital tools with traditional clinical expertise, organizations can offer tailored mental health care that supports employees in a meaningful way. This kind of personalized support not only improves work-life balance but also helps employees bring their best selves to work every day.
Looking Into Absenteeism
Sometimes, employees need time away from work to focus on their mental health, and that’s okay! However, simply taking time off doesn’t always reduce absenteeism in the long run.
To help navigate this, employers should consider creating clear and straightforward attendance policies that address absences thoughtfully. It’s also important to train managers and supervisors on how to have sensitive and supportive conversations about managing absences and performance.
Having a well-thought-out attendance policy and making a genuine effort to treat everyone fairly can go a long way in preventing claims of discrimination or unfair treatment. The key here is consistency—applying policies in a fair and uniform way helps build trust and ensures everyone feels respected.
The ADA and Mental Health
The ADA does not require an employee or applicant to use any particular “magic words,”
to mention the need for reasonable accommodation. Ideally, an employee should communicate a request for accommodation for a reason related to a medical condition that can be associated with a mental health condition.
That accommodation request generally triggers the interactive process, in which the employer and employee explore accommodation options specific to the individual’s job and job-related limitations.
Employers can also implement an interactive process to regulate and provide reasonable accommodation to employees returning to work from an absence of mental well-being and ensure they are complying with a mental illness covered by the ADA or other applicable laws.
According to the EEOC, people with the following mental health disorders will generally be determined to have an ADA disability because these disorders substantially limit brain function:
Major depressive disorder
Bipolar disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Schizophrenia.
Not every employee with a mental impairment will need an accommodation to do their job, but, if an employee or applicant does need an accommodation due to a mental health condition that is a disability, the ADA requires the employer to accommodate them (absent undue hardship), just as they would accommodate an employee with a physical disability.
Employers should consider training supervisors and managers on their attendance policies, sensitivity to recognizing employees' needs, and requests for accommodations to successfully manage absenteeism due to mental health.
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Ways employers can provide support
Employers can make a big difference in supporting mental health by investing in preventive solutions and partnering with healthcare providers. This support can take many forms, like contributing to health insurance, covering pharmacy expenses, offering behavioral health screenings, counseling or coaching, wellness apps, and activities, or even just building workplace structures that promote mental well-being. Encouraging employees to speak up and request accommodations, as well as using Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), can also make a huge impact.
Simple adjustments can go a long way too. Shifting work hours, reassigning tasks to lower-stress duties, encouraging mental health breaks, and increasing check-ins with employees are all small but meaningful steps toward creating a more supportive culture.
While the upfront costs of these programs might seem daunting, the hidden costs of untreated mental health issues—like lost productivity and turnover—are often much higher. Investing in mental health support is not just the right thing to do; it’s also smart for the bottom line.
To tackle absenteeism and leaves related to mental health, employers can start by increasing their understanding of mental health issues and how they affect the workplace. Inclusive and respectful approaches, consistent policies, and early support options empower employees to address their challenges while staying productive.
Creating a solid interactive process for accommodations helps employees feel comfortable coming forward before work performance is affected. Clear policies that show genuine care for employees’ mental well-being foster a positive environment where people feel safe sharing their needs.
Finally, employers should always check state and local laws to ensure they’re meeting or exceeding all applicable requirements, giving their workforce the best possible support.
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