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Finnish company offers four weeks paid leave for employees who lose a child
🇵🇱 Poland /Culture & Society

Finnish company offers four weeks paid leave for employees who lose a child

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Finland's Siili Solutions offers four weeks of paid bereavement leave for employees who lose a child under 18.
  • The policy aims to provide humanitarian support and maintain employee work capacity during a traumatic period.
  • This initiative, already practiced in Denmark and Iceland, acknowledges that grief significantly impacts cognitive functions and work ability.

Software company Siili Solutions has introduced a four-week paid bereavement leave policy for employees who lose a child under the age of 18. This initiative, believed to be the first of its kind among Finnish companies, aims to offer humanitarian support during an unimaginably difficult time.

People remember for a long time how an employer has treated them during difficult times.

— Taru SaloOn the impact of employer support during grief.

"Immense grief consumes a lot of energy and affects one's ability to cope with work," said Taru Salo, the company's HR director. "We felt it was important to provide an opportunity to be away without having to worry about work matters or livelihood."

The policy was inspired by a situation last year when an employee's child passed away. HR and payroll specialist Marja-Liisa Nieminen realized the company lacked adequate support mechanisms. She consulted with the association Käpy, which supports families who have lost a child, and learned that child loss is often a trauma impacting long-term functioning, including memory and concentration.

Immense grief consumes a lot of energy and affects one's ability to cope with work. We felt it was important to provide an opportunity to be away without having to worry about work matters or livelihood.

— Taru SaloExplaining the rationale behind the bereavement leave policy.

Currently, grief is not typically a reason for paid sick leave, often forcing employees to seek intermittent sick leave with various diagnoses. Nieminen described this as "a bit cruel," wishing employees didn't have to expend energy fighting with doctors. One Siili Solutions employee has already utilized the leave and expressed relief at having the option available.

It's a bit cruel. We wish employees didn't have to spend energy fighting with doctors.

— Marja-Liisa NieminenDescribing the current difficulties employees face when grieving.

Salo views the bereavement leave as a proactive measure, suggesting that allowing employees to process their loss peacefully might prevent future breakdowns and subsequent sick leave. The policy allows employees to return to work sooner if they feel able, or to continue working normally if they do not feel the need for the full leave. Similar policies are already in place in Denmark and Iceland, granting parents 26 weeks of leave following the death of a child under 18.

I understood that he was quite relieved that in this unfortunate situation, this option was available.

— Marja-Liisa NieminenOn an employee's reaction to using the bereavement leave.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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