Young Finns may ask for sick leave to mourn a dead cat: research

HELSINKI, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Young Finns are less able to face hardships in life than previous generations, as results of a research made the by Academy of Finland and the Institute for Occupational Safety have shown.

The conclusions published by the institutions this week were reported by Finnish media on Thursday and Friday.

Researcher Anna Kuokkanen wrote on the website of the Occupational Safety Institute that young employees may choose to stay at home because of a broken relationship or the death of a cat.

"Medical doctors who have done a long career said that at least in the 1970s it would have been unthinkable that an employee would have reported sick due to the death of a pet," she said.

Researcher Kuokkanen noted the change reflects the new attitude towards work among younger generations. "They demand more from work and from workrelated wellbeing", she said.

On the other hand, young employees are also more prone to seek help in mental symptoms, before the problems turn serious. "This is a positive change, but it places new demands to the employers", she noted.

In Finland, an employee can usually take sick leave based on his or her own decision, for at least a day or even three days. Acceptance by a medical professional is obtained afterwards.