Over 500 municipal employees in a small town in northern Sweden may soon enjoy an hour-long break every week to go home and make love with their partners.
The proposal to give local municipal employees a paid sex break was made by councilor Per-Erik Muskos of Övertorneå, a small town in northern Sweden. Muskos believe that the paid sex break could help put a stop to the dwindling local population and, at the same, improve the employees' marriage life and morale.
"We should encourage procreation. I believe that sex is often in short supply. Everyday life is stressful and the children are at home," said Muskos, in a report from New York Times, "This could be an opportunity for couples to have their own time, only for each other."
According to The Independent, the fertility rate in Sweden has been falling gradually over the past several decades, from an average 2.2 children per woman in 1960 to only 1.9 in 2014. Over the last decade, the population of Övertorneå has also experienced a gradual decline. Data from the municipality showed that the population of the town has dropped from 5,229 in 2005 to 4,711 in 2015.
Local municipal employees already have a paid hour every week intended to be used for fitness activities. Muskos suggested that employees could used this one-hour allotted for exercise to go home and have sex with their partners.
There is just one big problem with the proposal, enforcement. Muskos admitted that it is possible that an employee could take advantage of the hour-long paid break and go somewhere else, instead of coming home to their partners. Single employees could also utilize their weekly break to hook up with strangers using dating apps.
The proposal is set to be voted in spring and Muskos see no reason why it wouldn't pass. He emphasized that the only possible reason for the proposal not to get through is because the officials don't trust their own employees.