No. 05
HR Operations
The Leave Problem.
Mental health leaves have surged 300% since 2017. What's driving them, what they actually cost, and what prevention looks like in practice.
Author
Katherine Lambert
Published
May 18, 2026
Read time
22 min
300%
Rise in mental health leave since 2017
ComPsych, 2024
61%
Of HR leaders say mental health leaves increased in the past year
Spring Health, 2026
1 in 10
Leaves taken today are mental health-related
ComPsych, 2024
24%
Mental health claims last longer than the average claim
ComPsych, 2024
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