Time for Mental Healthcare: Evidence from Paid Sick Leave Mandates

Matthew Eisenberg, Yimin Ge, Ezra Golberstein and Johanna Maclean

No 34254, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We study the effects of state paid sick leave (PSL) mandates on mental healthcare use. To do so, we use all-payer health insurance claims data from IQVIA 2015-2022 combined with difference-in-differences methods. Findings suggest that overall mental healthcare use does not change post-PSL mandate. The null finding overall masks clinically relevant changes along the intensive margin: patients substitute away from lower levels of care to higher levels of care as time constraints are relaxed. Further, analysis of survey data hints that this change in treatment use improves mental health. Keywords: Paid sick leave; social insurance; social insurance.

JEL-codes: H0 I1 I11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-09
Note: CH EH PE
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