Do you think Belgium’s compensation structure for employee sick leave is too generous? If so, what could better compensation involve?
After going through this mini case, my answer is yes. The 80 percent salary is extra since one-month full pay is enough. In most cases globally, they offer patient insurance or a medical cover covering one month’s payment. The generous compensation is the reason why there are more sick leaves in Europe and especially Belgium than the United States. The compensation should only cover patients suffering from serious diseases. With a better and less generous structure, Belgium will experience even fewer suicide cases. I am saying this because I have read from the case that most clinical psychological depression cases are as a result of sick leaves.
What are the difficulties in categorizing mental illness such as depression to constitute illnesses meriting sick leave compensation vis-a-vis more physically diagnosable diseases such as the flu or cancer?
Most, if not all, suicide cases are as a result of depression. It is difficult to conclude that depression is the reason why the Belgium structure is generous since 50% of employees on sick leave suffering from depression. Even worse, the depression is a clinical psychological one. It is hard to diagnose mental illness, and this calls for counselors and physiatrists, unlike physical diseases such as cancer and flu.