Out there on the bleeding edge of employee benefit offerings, Japanese firm Hime & Company has announced its plans to provide employees with "heartache leave". According to an article in the Economic Times (India), and timed to coincide with February's "season of love", the Tokyo based company offers those who've broken up with a partner:
- One day off per year for those younger than 24
- Two days off per year for those 25 to 29
- Three days off per year for those over 30
Interesting to note the underlying assumption about the resiliency of those of us over 30.
The company's CEO Miki Hiradati had this to say about the new benefit:
Not everyone needs to take maternity leave, but with heartbreak, everyone needs time off, just like when you get sick.
reminds me of the Divorce Pay policy I wrote many years ago and ran in the StLouis HRMA chapter of SHRM newsletter.
Posted by: E James (Jim) Brennan | March 19, 2008 at 11:51 AM
What a hoot! Well, and why not? Don't we Americans have that lovely term, "taking a mental health day," and why not institutionalize it? :) Could be a nicely-marketable way for employers to show their softer, accommodating, employee-friendly side?
How about adding regular "ice cream days," too? (check out Microsoft co.'s snack bars!!)
At first glance I mis-read the numerical progression and assumed that the more passionate younger folks were given more days off to handle their youthful dramas. But not so! Giving more days off for "heartache" for older employees is interesting. Less resiliant? Or more likely to be entering the age wherein divorces, widow-hood, and family deaths are occurring more frequently?
Posted by: almostgotit | March 19, 2008 at 12:06 PM
Jim:
Interesting... don't think I've ever seen a Divorce Pay policy before ...
Almost:
I would be in favor of Ice Cream Leave. Your different explanation of the possible reason for more days off to older employees is interesting. I hadn't quite decided if I should be grateful or offended...
Thanks for stopping by!
Posted by: Ann Bares | March 20, 2008 at 10:42 AM