Caregiving is taking a significant mental and physical toll on U.S. employees. More than 1 in 5 workers who took a caregiving leave of absence between January 2022 and June 2024 later took a leave for their own medical condition, according to new research from ComPsych.

"We all know caregiving can be extremely challenging, and this new data underscores the very real impact it has on people," said Dr. Jennifer Birdsall, clinical director of ComPsych, a provider of mental health and absence management services. "From the emotional drain it can cause to the physical demands of competing priorities or helping another person with basic daily functions, caregiving puts people under a tremendous amount of stress."

More than 1 in 10 leaves of absence are taken to care for a family member. Mental health (15%) was the single most common reason for their subsequent medical leave, followed by surgery (11%), pointing to both the mental and physical demands of caregiving.