Mental health has moved from the margins of HR conversation to the center of workforce strategy, and the numbers make it impossible to ignore. Across industries and demographics, employees are stepping away from work to manage anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other serious mental health conditions at rates that would have seemed startling just a decade ago.

What was once considered a personal matter is now a defining challenge for HR professionals, leave administrators, and workplace wellness teams alike. This article unpacks why mental health is becoming the leading driver of employee leave requests and what that data tells us.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: Mental Health Leave Is Surging

The rise in mental-health-related leave requests is not anecdotal; it is statistically significant and accelerating. According to research, mental health issues rank as the second most common reason employees requested leave in recent years, with 47% of employers reporting an increase.

Notably, mental health conditions are a leading driver of workplace accommodation requests; a signal that even after employees return to work, the impact of these conditions continues to shape how and when they can perform their jobs.

What’s Driving the Increase?

The surge in mental health leave requests reflects a broader cultural and epidemiological shift. The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally altered how people experience work, stress, and personal well-being. Isolation, economic uncertainty, blurred work-life boundaries, and burnout compounded pre-existing vulnerabilities at scale.

According to data, more than 60 million U.S. adults, roughly 23%, experienced any mental illness in 2024. Among those, a significant portion reported unmet treatment needs, meaning their conditions remained undertreated even as they tried to maintain employment.

FMLA for Mental Health: What HR Teams Need to Know

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) extends job-protected leave to employees with serious mental health conditions; a fact that is still underappreciated in many organizations. Conditions like depression and anxiety, and PTSD are all covered when the condition meets the legal threshold of a “serious health condition” requiring inpatient care or continuing treatment by a healthcare provider.

Critically, eligible employees can use intermittent FMLA to manage recurring mental health flare-ups, meaning they don’t have to take continuous blocks of time off. Intermittent FMLA leave arrangements allow employees to step away for therapy appointments, acute episodes, or treatment days without exhausting their full leave entitlement at once. This flexibility is essential for employees managing chronic conditions that don’t follow a predictable schedule.

The U.S. Department of Labor clarifies that conditions such as depression and anxiety qualify when they cause occasional periods of incapacitation and require medical treatment at least twice a year. HR teams should be well-versed in these standards, both to guide employees fairly and to process FMLA certification requests appropriately.

The Documentation Gap: A Barrier for Employees

Despite clear legal protections, many employees struggle to obtain the documentation they need. FMLA paperwork for mental health requires a licensed healthcare provider to certify the condition and its impact on the employee’s ability to work.

For employees already managing a mental health crisis, navigating appointments, paperwork, and physician access can feel overwhelming.

This is where employer processes matter. When HR teams make it easier to understand how to apply for FMLA, employees are more likely to seek protected leave rather than simply calling in, quietly struggling, or ultimately resigning.

Get Your FMLA Certification Done Right

When navigating a mental health condition and workplace leave at the same time, the last thing you need is a complicated certification process slowing you down. That’s where MyFMLA comes in.

Based on a foundation of compassionate, physician-powered care, MyFMLA specializes in online FMLA certification for employees who need fast, reliable documentation, without the months-long wait for a local appointment.

Get your FMLA doctor certification completed from the comfort of your home; contact MyFMLA today.

About the Author

Jordan Mills is a workplace wellness writer focused on helping employees and organizations navigate the complexities of medical leave with confidence. With extensive experience reviewing federal leave regulations, analyzing workforce mental health trends, and translating dense policy language into practical guidance, Mills provides clear, actionable insight into how employees can protect their rights and access the support they need.