Amsterdam
A Dutch company is offering firms insurance against losing their employees to the World Cup, which starts next month. In past years, so many Dutch workers called in sick when the Netherlands’ team played in the soccer tournament—20 percent in 2004—that some companies have suffered significant financial losses. Dutch CEOs call the phenomenon the “Orange flu,” after the team color. Dennis Massaar of the insurance company SEZ said that this year firms could insure their workforces. The company will pay benefits each time a worker stays home on either a game day or the day after—known as the “hangover day.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Quiz of The Week: 15 – 21 NovemberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
Can the UK do more on climate change?Today's Big Question Labour has shown leadership in the face of fraying international consensus, but must show the public their green mission is ‘a net benefit, not a net cost’
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will US Catholics rebel against the Pope?Podcast Plus what are the ethics of freezing your late partner?
