Trump has been criticizing companies individually when he’s frustrated with how they’re acting because of his tariffs and because of the uncertainty
“I’m thankful for that opportunity to take the time to heal,” Lasso, 43, said. “Many people feel guilty when they take a leave of absence when it’s mental health-related. ... There is some extra weight that we carry on our shoulders, as if it had been our fault.”Despite a fear of repercussions, more adults are recognizing that stepping back from work to deal with
or psychological conditions that get in the way of their lives is a necessary choice, one that a growing number of employers recognize.ComPsych Corp., a provider of employee mental health programs and absence management services, encourages its business clients to make the well-being of workers a priority before individuals get to a breaking point while also having processes in place for those who require leaves of absence.This article is part of AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health.
“Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, collectively we’ve just been in this constant state of turmoil,” Jennifer Birdsall, the senior clinical director at ComPysch, said. “We just have had this barrage of change and uncertainty.”and adjustment disorder, which involves excessive reactions to stress, were the top three diagnoses of employees who took mental health leaves in the past two years among clients of Alight, a Chicago-based technology company which administers leaves and benefits for large employers.
A mental health leave can last weeks or months. In some cases, workers get approval to work a reduced schedule or to take short periods of time off when needed, using an approach called “intermittent leave.”
At most U.S. organizations with 50 or more employees, people can request leaves through the Family and Medical Leave Act. The federal law entitles workers with serious health conditions to paid or unpaid leaves of up to 12 weeks, depending on state and local laws.“There are threats to science ... south of the border,” said Brad Wouters, of University Health Network, Canada’s leading hospital and medical research center, which launched the “Canada Leads” recruitment drive. “There’s a whole pool of talent, a whole cohort that is being affected by this moment.”
Universities worldwide are always trying to recruit from one another, just as tech companies and businesses in other fields do. What’s unusual about the current moment is that many global recruiters are targeting researchers by promising something that seems newly threatened: academic freedom.French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen attend the “Choose Europe for Science” event at the Sorbonne University in Paris on Monday, May 5, 2025. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool via AP, File)
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen attend the “Choose Europe for Science” event at the Sorbonne University in Paris on Monday, May 5, 2025. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Pool via AP, File)European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this month that the European Union intends “to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law.” She spoke at the launch of the bloc’s “Choose Europe for Science” — which was in the works before the Trump administration cuts but has sought to capitalize on the moment.