Some rather odd news was announced today, a marketing firm in Tokyo is offering its employees paid heartache and shopping leave. My first reaction was a mixture of thinking it was a nice idea but really unnecessary. However, one has to wonder why the company would offer these types of leaves in the first place. How does paid leave to recover from a broken heart or catch a sale benefit the company?

The truth is that it is great when companies take measures to improve employee morale but the particular one seems like overkill. How about creating a company culture in which employees support one another through difficult times? Why not instead offer mental health benefits so employees can see a psychologist or psychiatrist if necessary? These are just a couple initiatives that would benefit both company and employees far better than just offering paid leave.

According to Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, staff writer and work blogger for Time, heartache leave is definitely for the weaker sex. On this point I will have to agree, especially since the policy is only applicable for women. To add insult to injury, the older the woman is, the more time she is given to morn her wounded heart.

"Women in their 20s can find their next love quickly, but it's tougher for women in their 30s, and their break-ups tend to be more serious," Hiradate [CEO of Hime & Company] said.

This is where I have to call shenanigans! It’s hard enough for women to combat the idea that men are more emotionally stable than women. Additionally, employee rights lawyer for Peters Law Group James Peters, says these programs have serious discrimination implications for women over 40 but that their chances of being implemented in the US are nil.

Granted taking time off from work for heartache is a novel idea but I think it also sets employees up for unhealthy wallowing. Instead of pushing through obstacles, the women at this company (staffed only by women) are being sent a subliminal message that grieving a break-up is a much bigger issue than it should be.

However, as someone who recently went through a divorce, I can see how something like this could be beneficial for maintaining employee productivity. People grieve relationships much like they do deaths; we become distracted and unfocused and time off could provide much needed time to recharge our batteries. What I think would be more valuable would be insurance covered weekly therapy sessions for all workers. That way employees have the option of proactively taking care of their mental and emotion health and likely won’t need paid leave to nurse a broken heart.  

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