The Centers for Disease Control's most recent Vital Signs report ranks suicide as the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., The National Law Review reports. That CDC notes (PDF) that other than Nevada, which saw a 1% decrease in suicide rates from 1999 to 2016, all other states saw rates grow anywhere from 6% to 58% in that span. Almost 45,000 Americans 10 years old and older committed suicide in 2016, the CDC reports.

"Suicide is a leading cause of death for Americans--and it's a tragedy for families and communities across the country," says Anne Schuchat, CDC principal deputy director. "From individuals and communities to employers and healthcare professionals, everyone can play a role in efforts to help save lives and reverse this troubling rise in suicide."

A very small number of those 45,000 suicides, 291, happened in the workplace, Human Resource Executive reports. But a key statistic for HR to hone in on is that the highest number of suicides were among those ages 45 to 65, which are a top workforce demographic. Another important CDC finding is that 54% of suicide victims did not have a known mental illness.

HR leaders should be ready to spot and help employees and managers who may be at risk for suicide, says Ellyson Stout, director of Waltham, Massachusetts-based Suicide Prevention Resource Center.

"Obviously it's extremely traumatic for someone to die by suicide in the workplace, in terms of the potential impact on co-workers and witnesses," Stout says. "But there also are many lost lives happening among those in the workforce, even if the death didn't happen there. Employers can help here, too."

Workers and managers who talk about wanting to die, ask about how to get pills or who search online for how to purchase a gun are a few signs for HR to look out for.
"Other signs could be some kind of change or loss event, or talking about feeling trapped or being in an unbearable pain, especially mentioning being a burden to others," Stout notes.

"Remember, the signs don't necessarily mean that the person is thinking about suicide, but these are some indicators of concern. The big thing is, if you feel concerned about someone and their behavior has changed and you're seeing some of these things to ask. Don't hesitate."

Daniel Schwartz, a partner who represents employers for Shipman & Goodwin, reiterates that companies need to be proactive in understanding employees who are at risk for suicide. Schwartz publishes the Connecticut Employment Law Blog.

"...Discussions regarding mental health--and bringing those discussions in the workplace--is often seen as one important step that can be done," Schwartz writes in his blog. "A renewed emphasis on making sure employees know about and use Employee Assistance Programs is also another important step." Schwartz adds that "HR staff can sometimes be at the front lines."

"Figuring out that an employee might need help can be a part of a solution but as we all know, it might not be enough," he notes.

Jonathan Segal, a partner at Duane Morris in the Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group, writes that while employers generally don't have a legal responsibility to prevent suicide, responsible companies should be focused on this issue.

He offers 10 suggestions for HR to help employees, including making sure they know where they can get help, both internally and externally, and to be proactive in ensuring that mental illness is not seen as a stigma.

"Yes, there may be some risk under the [American Disabilities Act] in removing employees from the workplace and requiring an assessment ('perceived disability' claim)," Segal writes for the Society For Human Resource Management Blog. "But that risk must be balanced against the human risk (among others) if your fear contributes to the employee's decision to end it all. Further, with careful planning, while the ADA risk cannot be eliminated, it can be minimized materially."