Virus Mental-Health Issues Complicate Legal Gray Area Over Leave

Psychological distress triggered by the coronavirus pandemic could force employers to address the legally murky area of whether leave is a reasonable accommodation.

One-third of nearly 10,000 Americans surveyed by the Pew Research Center in March and April said they’ve experienced heightened psychological distress, such as anxiety, sleeplessness, or depression. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act in the workplace, acknowledged in its pandemic guidance that employees with pre-existing mental health conditions could have a harder time adjusting to life—and work—during a public health crisis.

The ADA protects workers whose mental-health conditions qualify as a ...