Swedish small business owners are raising concerns over the financial burden of covering sick leave for employees undergoing cosmetic surgeries. The current regulations do not differentiate between medical and cosmetic procedures, leaving employers to bear the initial costs. This issue has sparked debate about the fairness of public funds covering such expenses.
Swedish Employers Challenge Costs of Employees' Cosmetic Surgeries
Swedish Employers Challenge Costs of Employees' Cosmetic Surgeries
Breast augmentation, tummy tucks, facelifts, and liposuction. There are many options for those looking to alter their appearance through plastic surgery. However, the bill for sick leave largely falls on the employer.
– This is a huge problem for our members, says Caroline Szyber, Vice Chairman of the Swedish Federation of Small Businesses, to SVT.
Anyone undergoing a cosmetic procedure has the right to sick leave.
In Sweden, no distinction is made between plastic surgery for medical reasons and cosmetic surgeries when it comes to sick leave.
But now, more and more small business owners are highlighting the generous rules as a problem, reports SVT News.
It is the employer who pays the sick pay during the first two weeks.
– Our members find this to be a huge problem. Like one of our members who recently had two employees undergo cosmetic surgeries. It is a significant sum for an employer – for completely voluntary aesthetic procedures, says Caroline Szyber, Vice Chairman of the Swedish Federation of Small Businesses and former Member of Parliament (KD).
Has Gone Too Far
After the first two weeks of sick leave, the cost shifts to taxpayers as the Social Insurance Agency pays out sick pay.
The reasonableness of public funds covering others' cosmetic procedures has previously been up for discussion. A government inquiry in 2009 concluded that only reconstructive surgery should entitle one to sick pay – not purely cosmetic procedures. However, the conservative government chose not to proceed with the proposal.
Caroline Szyber and the small business owners believe this is wrong.
– What one does in their free time that is unrelated to the workplace unfortunately becomes the employer's responsibility. And our members think this has gone too far.