Mental health drives 6 in 10 discrimination-linked job losses, study finds

Grapple Law published new research showing mental health was cited in 61.3% of discrimination-related job losses in 2026, up from 49.8% in 2024. The trend, drawn from 28,500 cases reviewed by sister firm Monaco Solicitors, suggests mental health has become the dominant issue in workplace discrimination disputes.

Why it matters: - Mental health is now the most common factor in discrimination-linked job losses, making up 6 in 10 cases. - The shift points to a growing workplace dispute pattern that employers, employees and advisers are likely to face more often. - The full article and report are available here.

What happened: - Grapple Law published a new article on discrimination-related job losses. - The analysis found that 61.3% of those cases in 2026 involved a mental health condition. - The research drew on 28,500 employment discrimination cases reviewed by Monaco Solicitors from January 2024 through the end of June 2026. - Monaco Solicitors is Grapple Law’s sister company.

The details: - In 2024, 49.8% of employment discrimination cases mentioned a mental health condition. - That share rose to 58.6% in 2025. - The figure reached 61.3% in 2026. - Grapple Law said that represents an increase of nearly 23% over two years. - Race was the second most common ground across the three-year period, cited in about 1 in 5 cases. - Gender discrimination accounted for 13.8% of cases in 2024 and increased to 15% in 2026.

Between the lines: - Mental health appears to be pulling away from other discrimination categories in both frequency and growth. - The data suggests workplace conflict is increasingly being framed around mental health rather than narrower, traditional protected-characteristic disputes. - That could affect how employers document dismissals, handle grievances and assess risk in future claims.

What's next: - Grapple Law is using the new article to expand on the case data and compare mental health dismissals with other forms of workplace discrimination. - Employers and employees will likely use the findings as a benchmark for how discrimination claims are evolving. - The report may also shape future legal and HR conversations around mental health support at work.