Rising demand is straining HR teams and creating new urgency for modernization
GOLDEN, CO / ACCESS Newswire / November 12, 2025 / AbsenceSoft, the leading SaaS platform for leave of absence and accommodations management, today released its 2026 State of Leave and Accommodations Report. Based on a survey of 1,200 HR and People Operations leaders, the report highlights the continued growth in leave and accommodation requests, and emerging trends shaping the HR landscape.
With five generations now in the workforce, employees' needs are increasingly diverse, with HR teams managing a broader range of requests and rising complexity. In 2025 alone, over half of employers (53%) reported an increase in leave requests, with two-thirds seeing jumps of more than 20%. Accommodation requests followed a similar trend, with 56% of employers reporting higher volumes. These increases often occur without a corresponding growth in HR staff or systems, resulting in significant compliance and workload strain.
"The complexity of leave and accommodations management has grown exponentially," said Jess Keeney, Chief Executive Officer of AbsenceSoft. "HR teams are being asked to do more than ever before. The right technology and processes are essential to ensure compliance and create a better employee experience - one that improves retention, productivity, and culture."
Key Findings in the AbsenceSoft 2026 State of Leave and Accommodations Report
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A Multigenerational Workforce is Driving Diverse Leave Needs. Leave requests no longer follow one dominant pattern. The top reasons now include recovering from illness or injury (51%), bereavement (44%), bonding with a new child (36%), caregiving (35%), pregnancy-related needs (35%), and mental health (34%).
Bereavement leave in particular has grown sharply - from 31% in 2023 to 44% in 2025. While 69% of employers offer paid medical leave and 65% offer paid parental leave, only 29% offer paid caregiver leave, and fewer than one in five employers provide benefits such as sabbaticals or NICU leave.
Mental Health and Remote Work Dominate Accommodation Requests. Mental health remains the top reason for accommodations (54%), followed closely by requests for remote work and reduced schedules (both 43%) - surpassing workspace modifications for the first time. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) has also influenced accommodation trends, with one in three employers now citing pregnancy-related needs among their most common requests.
AI Adoption Is Rising - but Compliance Risks Are, Too. Nearly half of HR teams (45% for leave, 51% for accommodations) are already utilizing AI in their processes, often for sensitive tasks such as eligibility decisions, interpreting regulations, and drafting communications. However, 49% of employers report using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT for these tasks, rather than purpose-built systems with built-in legal safeguards. This raises concerns about bias, data security, and regulatory compliance.
Rising Caseloads Are Overwhelming HR Teams. Even as HR teams report a rise in leave and accommodation requests for the third year in a row, most organizations still manage these programs without dedicated systems. In fact, 43% of HR teams continue to track accommodations manually through spreadsheets or email. Encouragingly, 64% of employers plan to increase investment in accommodations management technology in 2026, and 60% plan to do the same for leave management-signaling real momentum toward modernization.
"Five generations in the workforce means we've moved beyond one-size-fits-all leave programs. Today's HR teams are simultaneously supporting new parents, employees caring for aging relatives, and workers managing mental health needs," said Seth Turner, Founder and Senior Advisor at AbsenceSoft. "This complexity, combined with doubled request volume, has pushed us past the tipping point. The organizations that will succeed are those that recognize leave and accommodations management as a strategic function requiring sophisticated technology, not an administrative task."
About the Survey
The 2026 State of Leave and Accommodations Report is based on a survey of 1,200 HR and People Operations leaders at organizations with 500 or more employees. The research was conducted in late 2025.
To download the full report, visit here.
About AbsenceSoft
AbsenceSoft is a leading provider of leave and accommodations management SaaS solutions. We deliver scalable, easy-to-use, and configurable software to easily and efficiently manage 200+ statutory policies like FMLA, ADA, and PWFA. Our software streamlines and automates leave and accommodations processes, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations while elevating the employee experience. Built by leave professionals, for leave professionals, AbsenceSoft is trusted by employers across industries, Third Party Administrators (TPAs), and Professional Employee Organizations (PEOs) to manage over seven million lives. We are widely recognized for our top-tier customer service and robust customer community engagement. Learn more at absencesoft.com or follow the company on LinkedIn.
Media Contact:
Escalate PR for AbsenceSoft
AbsenceSoft@EscalatePR.com
SOURCE: AbsenceSoft
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