The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides broad protections to employees with many different kinds of impairments that can make it more difficult to be successful at work. While most experienced managers and human resource professionals are familiar with the way the ADA applies to physical impairments, translating that knowledge to apply to mental health conditions can be trickier but is necessary.

According to a press release from the American Psychological Association reporting on the results of its 2023 Stress in America surveys, mental health conditions have increased across almost all demographics in recent years. Among adults ages 35 to 44, mental health diagnoses rose from 31% as reported in 2019 to 45% in 2023. The most impacted group is adults ages 18 to 34, reporting the highest rate of mental illnesses at 50% in 2023. These increased diagnoses inevitably correlate with an increase in requests for workplace accommodation under the ADA.