Managing Mental Health Leave Requests with Care, Consistency, and Compliance

Mental health is now one of the top reasons employees request leave and accommodations, but these cases rarely follow a clear plan. With conditions like anxiety, depression, and PTSD driving more intermittent leave and complex ADA requests, HR teams are under pressure to get it right—often without the tools or bandwidth they need. In this session, AbsenceSoft Founder and Senior Advisor Seth Turner and mental health advocate Kat Atwell share how to manage mental health-related claims with empathy and structure. You’ll hear real examples and practical strategies to handle sensitive requests, support managers, and stay compliant under the FMLA, the ADA, and the PWFA.

What you’ll learn:

• How mental health conditions qualify under the FMLA, the ADA, and the PWFA
• Where HR teams face the biggest risks, and what HR can do
• Key ways to support employees throughout the process
• Ways to streamline processes and reduce administrative burden
• How technology can help provide a more transparent, supportive process