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Many people in Finland actually experience stress and other mental disorders. Photo/Reuters
HELSINKI – More than 100,000 people in Finland received extended sick leave from their bosses due to mental health problems in 2023, the Finnish Social Insurance Institute (Kela) revealed.
The government agency said in a press release that it was the most common reason for illness-related work absences last year.
“Mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression have become the single most common reason for illness-related absences,” said Kela, reported by RT. They added that the data shows an upward trend since 2016 – which includes a 3% increase in mental health work absences in 2023 compared to the previous year.
“If we want to change this trend,” said Kela research chief Jenni Blomgren. “It is important for us to intervene in working conditions and social structures that increase people’s mental burden.”
Blomgren stated that Kela’s analysis also showed that almost half of the cases involved people who had been diagnosed with anxiety. He also noted that the greatest increase in the disorder was seen in people under 35 years of age.
Kela, which offers compensation for long-term work absences after at least ten days of sick leave, said it is paying out a total of about 15 million sick leave days in 2023 – a total of about USD980 million.
The government agency said that, although the total amount of compensation paid was higher last year, the number of recipients was almost 10,000 fewer than in 2022, a decrease Kela said was due to falling Covid-19 numbers.
In 2023, the agency provided payments to about 4,000 people diagnosed with Covid-19 who were later unable to work. In 2022, about 18,000 people claimed the same benefits.
Blomgren added that the impact of Covid-19 on Finnish society is currently less “significantly visible” than in previous years.
Under Kela’s sickness benefit scheme, the agency will provide compensation to workers who lose income due to health problems. A doctor’s note is required to access the benefits program, and Kela will pay sickness benefits for no more than one year. If a worker is still receiving wages during illness, benefit payments will be made to the employer.
(ahm)