The modern leave landscape is evolving rapidly, and HR is struggling to keep up. More employees are requesting time away. New legislation is taking shape. And technology is continuing to evolve. In addition to these factors, our 2026 State of Leave and Accommodations report highlights a critical reality: leave management is only getting more challenging.
To better understand the evolving landscape of leave, we surveyed 1,200 HR leaders. Our research sheds light on why employees are requesting leave, the strategies that make administration more effective, and the biggest challenges HR teams face today. Below, we’ve outlined key trends, but we encourage you to download the full report for a deeper dive into the data.
Leave Volumes Keep Climbing
Most HR leaders can tell you this easily without needing a report: Leave requests are on the rise, yet again. More than half of respondents (53%) reported increases in leave requests in 2025. This is the third year in a row that our report has pointed to a rising tide of leave requests at most organizations. It’s a trend that leaves HR teams overwhelmed with requests and challenged as they deal with an influx of workers out on leave.
At some organizations, there’s more than just an uptick in requests. While most (66%) of those who noted an increase in requests said they rose by more than 20%, about a fifth said they rose by 41% or more.
To understand the state of leave management accurately, it’s important to consider how the steady increase in leave requests compound over time. Many HR teams could now be managing double the number of cases they were tasked with just three years ago — with the same or fewer resources.
Five Generations, One Workforce
The workforce may be getting older, but that doesn’t mean young employees aren’t a part of it. Brand new workers are steadily showing up to the office. That means employers are busy balancing the priorities of Gen Z and the Traditionalists, as well as those of every generation in between.
This reality heavily impacts leave management. Older workers are taking leave for chronic conditions, caregiving, and bereavement. Younger workers, meanwhile, are prioritizing bonding leave and mental health. Many workers are part of the sandwich generation, and they’re taking leave for all kinds of reasons as they care for aging parents, young children, and their own selves.
It’s worth noting that this year’s survey found that leave requests for mental health have declined. Employees are still asking for support, however. Mental health was the top driver of accommodation requests, which also rose in 2025.
This wide variation in needs is driving demand for more flexible and personalized leave options. Today’s employees take leave for all sorts of reasons, not just illnesses and injuries. Employers need to be prepared to provide a supportive, personalized leave experience to every employee, regardless of why they’re taking leave.
AI is Already Here, But It’s Risky
It’s no secret that AI has crept into nearly every element of our lives. People are using the tools to plan meals, design workouts, and manage their finances. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, that AI has crept into leave management, especially as HR teams grow more overwhelmed. In fact, our survey revealed that 45% of employers use AI in the leave process.
Here are the most common ways HR teams are using AI to manage leave:
- Writing employee communications.
- Looking up new laws.
- Performing eligibility checks.
- Making eligibility decisions.
- Calculating how much leave someone is entitled to.
We recognize that AI can help HR speed up its processes, eliminate busy work, and even build more consistency into its workflows. But it’s important to acknowledge that most AI use is happening without compliance guardrails, exposing HR and organizations to risk.
HR professionals may be improving their productivity by leveraging tools like ChatGPT or Gemini throughout the leave process. But they could invite serious error or breach important regulations by doing so.
Complexity Is Ramping Up
When we asked respondents to name the challenges they face managing leave at their organizations, the top cited frustration was ensuring compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Despite this law’s enduring presence in the U.S., employers are still frustrated by the many regulations, requirements, and tasks the law creates.
The second most popular choice was managing intermittent leave and reduced schedules. These are long-held frustrations for HR teams who must respond to the staffing challenges, logistical issues, and compliance tasks created by these forms of leave.
As HR teams continue to reckon with these challenges, new state laws and internal policies add layers of complexity. For example, in 2025 alone, states including Alaska, Michigan, and Nebraska added new paid leave laws or expanded those already on their books. Meanwhile, organizations are implementing robust leave policies to attract and retain talent.
We asked survey respondents to tell us how they plan to address the growing number of state leave laws. Their responses indicated that organizations are diverse in their approach, with some managing the changes manually, others implementing specific tools or outsourcing management to a third party.
How are you addressing the growing number of state leave laws?
- We manage them manually with spreadsheets, email, reminders: 41%
- We’ve implemented leave management software with compliance tools: 38%
- We rely on our legal team to interpret changes: 35%
- We maintain a policy library/internal guide: 34%
- We outsource to a third-party vendor or insurer: 24%
- Our state doesn’t offer leave benefits: 11%
- We’re struggling, no solution yet: 8%
Increased Investment on the Horizon
Our data shows that employers are implementing a diverse set of strategies to deal with the challenges of modern leave management. Despite this wide-ranging approach, the majority of respondents agree that they need to upgrade their tools.
Are you planning on investing more resources in leave management next year?
- Yes: 60%
- No: 40%
This intention shows that organizations understand the urgency in getting leave right. While many surely want to reduce HR’s workload and lock in their compliance efforts, employers also recognize the importance of providing a high-quality leave experience. After all, our 2025 Leave of Absence Employee Experience Report found that 40% of employees would consider quitting after a poor leave experience.
In other words, investing in better leave management not only streamlines HR’s work and increases compliance, but also ensures employees receive the support they need.
Transform Your Leave Program with AbsenceSoft
This article provided a brief overview of the leave management trends your organization should look out for in 2026. If you’d like a deeper dive on the data presented, download The 2026 State of Leave and Accommodations Report.
If your team counts itself among the 60% of organizations looking to invest more in your leave management strategy, consider partnering with AbsenceSoft. When your organization taps a leave management platform like ours, you gain the tools needed to deliver a positive, compliant, and efficient leave experience. With AbsenceSoft, you’ll have access to:
- A self-service portal where employees can submit leave requests quickly and discreetly.
- A dashboard that allows employees to track the status of their requests.
- A platform that centralizes communications, making them effortless and efficient.
- The AbsenceSoft Compliance Engine™, which tracks over 200 laws — including the FMLA.
- A software that allows HR teams to handle requests more efficiently and respond to requesting employees more quickly.
- Technology that leverages intelligent automation, making the leave certification process fully standardized across all employee groups.
Ready to explore what better leave management could look like? Let us show you how AbsenceSoft can help. Book a demo today.