Lovelorn staff at a Japanese marketing company can take paid time off

Lovelorn staff at a Japanese marketing company can take paid time off after a bad break-up with a partner, and more "heartache leave" on offer when they get older.

Tokyo-based Hime & Company, which also gives staff paid time off to hit the shops during sales season, says heartache leave allows staff to cry themselves out and return to work refreshed. "Not everyone needs to take maternity leave but with heartbreak, everyone needs time off, just like when you get sick," CEO Miki Hiradate said.

Staff aged 24 years or younger can take one day off per year, while those between 25 and 29 can take two days off and those older can take three days off, the company said.

"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 said.

Hime & Company staff can also take two mornings off twice a year as "sales shopping leave", so they can race to stores to hunt for bargains.

"Before, women could take half-days off to go to sales, but you'd have to hide your shopping bags in lockers by the train station," Hiradate said.

"But with paid leave, we don't have to feel guilty about bringing our shopping bags to work, and we can enjoy the best part about sales shopping -- talking about our purchases afterwards."

日本一家营销公司日前规定，员工失恋后可享受带薪假期。而且随着年龄的增长，这种“疗伤假”会增多。

这家位于东京的“姬会社”还在促销旺季为员工提供了购物假。公司称“疗伤假”能让员工在痛哭之后重振精神回到工作岗位。该公司的首席执行官平官美吉说：“并不是人人都需要休产假，但如果失恋了，无论谁都需要休息，就像生病一样。”

该公司规定，24岁及24岁以下的员工每年有一天的失恋假；25岁至29岁的员工可享受两天失恋假；29岁以上的员工可休假三天。

平官美吉说：“20多岁的女性失恋后能很快开始另一段恋情，但对于30多岁的女性来说就没那么容易了，所以她们的失恋往往更严重。”

姬会社的员工每年还可享受两个上午的“购物假”，在此期间员工可去商场抢购打折商品。

平官美吉说：“以前，女性可以请半天假出去购物，但之后又不得不将购物袋藏在地铁站的衣物柜中。”

“有了带薪假期，大家就不用为把购物袋带到办公室而感到心虚了，大家还能分享购物的最大乐趣——比如评论一下买到的宝贝。”

Vocabulary:

lovelorn:失恋的