Paid leave for funerals

hedsashedhedsashed Posts: 2,277
Forum Member
✭✭✭
A very close friend of mine has recently laid to rest a very young grandchild and subsequently taken a few days off work to grieve. Now i thought that for a close relative he'd be entitled to three days paid leave but the boss will only pay for one day, which i think is a bit harsh.

I've done an internet search to try and find his rights but can't seem to find anything, any advice will be greatly received.
«13

Comments

  • Babe RainbowBabe Rainbow Posts: 34,349
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I stand to be corrected here but I don't think there is any legal entitlement to compassionate leave. There may be something in the person's individual contract of employment but I think it is usually discretionary.
  • FanielleFanielle Posts: 1,251
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    You'd have to check your company policy on compassionate leave - I don't think theres any law as to how long you're entitled too and I'm sure it doesn't have to be paid either
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,113
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Personally, legally or not I'd still raise hell. One guy here at my current workplace only got one day off as well. Makes me mad. :mad:
  • TrevorFowlerTrevorFowler Posts: 170
    Forum Member
    Paid time off in these circumstances is always at the discretion of the employer unless specifically catered for in the contract of employment.

    IMO, one day as compassionate leave is reasonable for a grandchild.
  • hedsashedhedsashed Posts: 2,277
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Thanks Babe, the working contracts at his place of work are very difficult work out (on purpose of course) it's all sub section this and refer back sub section that, only a well trained solicitor can work them out, but thanks anyway.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 32,379
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I only received 3 days off when my father died.

    Our company did have a compassionate leave policy though. As far as i'm aware there are no legal obligations.

    Here is the dir gov information.
  • hedsashedhedsashed Posts: 2,277
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    And thanks for all the other replies too, to be fair it does look like its down to his boss's discretion so he's lost out by the looks of things. Thanks again for replies
  • Button62Button62 Posts: 8,463
    Forum Member
    We are a small business employing 22 people. I had to develop a Bereavement Policy as one of our employees took 10 days off when his nephew died and expected to be paid.

    I have been fair and allowed 5 days for mother, father child and less days the further distant the relative is.

    Whilst I sympathise with the OP's friend and realise it is a sensitive issue, it is also difficult for a small company like ours to pay for what is essentially loss of productivity, but we cannot be seen to be callous at times of grief.

    In other words it's a minefield !
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,432
    Forum Member
    It's all very sad - but no legal right unless it's written into your employment contract.

    Most places will give paid leave for the time of the funeral - some will pay compassionate leave for longer if it is a spouse or a child. But these are at the employer's discretion.
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
    Forum Member
    it's a very difficult issue but if it's more than one day then how many days is appropriate?
  • TogglerToggler Posts: 4,592
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Button62 wrote: »
    We are a small business employing 22 people. I had to develop a Bereavement Policy as one of our employees took 10 days off when his nephew died and expected to be paid.

    I have been fair and allowed 5 days for mother, father child and less days the further distant the relative is.

    Whilst I sympathise with the OP's friend and realise it is a sensitive issue, it is also difficult for a small company like ours to pay for what is essentially loss of productivity, but we cannot be seen to be callous at times of grief.

    In other words it's a minefield !

    Button has been very proactive and very fair. I always recommend to my clients up to 5 days paid leave for the close relatives etc. Compassionate leave officially comes under the time off for dependents banner, and is unpaid. However my belief it is a very poor employer who would not give paid leave to an employee whose parent/spouse/partner/child died. There is case law that states there is no entitlement to compassionate time off to grieve, however I know from bitter experience that having to go to the hospital when a parent has died, all the legalities, funeral to arrange and attend takes a couple of days albeit in a few hours here and there. Being treated with compassion at one of the worst times of anyone's life will raise the employer's standing will all the employees and earn the gratitude of the person who suffered the loss. It is worth keeping a record however, as there is always the person who comes up and says Granny number 3 has just passed away.
  • Chasing ShadowsChasing Shadows Posts: 3,096
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Toggler wrote: »
    However my belief it is a very poor employer who would not give paid leave to an employee whose parent/spouse/partner/child died.

    Or an employer who simply cannot afford to pay somebody full salary when they aren't there doing their job?

    An employer's customers won't continue to give them money if they aren't receiving the service/goods that they have expected but are no longer receiving, and if the grieving employee is the one who actually produces these goods/this service, where is the money supposed to come from to provide them with a full salary whilst they take time off and don't generate any income (never mind any profit) for the company who is paying his wages?
  • Button62Button62 Posts: 8,463
    Forum Member
    Thanks Toggler. Employees seem to be happy with my decisions, and I feel with a policy in place everyone knows where they stand. We also allow extra unpaid time off if required.

    I also have experience of losing both parents and OH has lost his Dad, so we just went with what we thought would be acceptable to us.

    Worth noting though is someone whose parents are divorced and both remarried, there could be 8 grandparents in the family and we did have someone a few years ago who had 3 grannies pop off in an alarming short space of time !
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,229
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I got a day for my Grandma in November and that was just for the funeral.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 5,263
    Forum Member
    I work in HR and we have a policy - it's at discretion of manager.

    It's difficult to be rigid re time off v relationships. Normally immediate family (spouses, children, siblings etc) would expect to attract more. But who's to say that you aren't your Uncle's next of kin, that you'd have to make the funeral arrangements, do all the admin , clear the house etc... should you therefore get less because it's your uncle? I think it needs to be based on the individual's relationship with the deceased.

    Also, depends on where the funeral is. You live and work for an employer in Scotland and your uncle's funeral is in Cornwall - one day wouldn't be any good as you need time to travel there and back. But your sister who lives in Cornwall and works in the Cornish branch of the same employer might be entitled to less as travelling time wouldn't be an issue with her.

    I think there needs to be a maximum limit but it's difficult to be hard and fast where there are so many variables to take into account.
  • Button62Button62 Posts: 8,463
    Forum Member
    Or an employer who simply cannot afford to pay somebody full salary when they aren't there doing their job?

    An employer's customers won't continue to give them money if they aren't receiving the service/goods that they have expected but are no longer receiving, and if the grieving employee is the one who actually produces these goods/this service, where is the money supposed to come from to provide them with a full salary whilst they take time off and don't generate any income (never mind any profit) for the company who is paying his wages?

    It is a very sensitive issue, but the question is how would you like to be treated if it was your parent or child who had died ?

    Sometimes as an employer you have to take the fair and balanced option, and it does create goodwill among the staff who then would be more likely to go the extra mile when we are extremely busy in the future.
  • El GuapoEl Guapo Posts: 4,838
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Just book some days off as holiday as well.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,538
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Out official company policy is one day but more at the managers discretion. When my FIL died I had to travel abroad and the company gave me 5 days and I took another 5 days out of my annual vacation.

    Its quite tricky in the indian culture as cousins, uncles, etc are all considered directly related and you are expect to attend arrangements for several days. But I accept that would have to be either unpaid or annual vacation.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 421
    Forum Member
    Again all depends on the company the boss and also your relatiosnhip and work attitude. My father passed away in the summer I was told not to come back till after the funeral by my manager, she said she was rather I was ready to come back rather than drag me back and sit there unproductive.
  • butterworthbutterworth Posts: 17,872
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    As said above, it is usually at the discretion of the employer...

    However, the key, in my experience, is not so much the amount of 'extra' paid leave that the bereaved is allowed, but to be flexible with unpaid leave and/or annual leave when the situation arises - i.e to be understanding about the amount of time people need, rather than the money.
  • Chasing ShadowsChasing Shadows Posts: 3,096
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Button62 wrote: »
    It is a very sensitive issue, but the question is how would you like to be treated if it was your parent or child who had died ?

    I was offered four days - but only took one.
  • varialectiovarialectio Posts: 2,377
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Our company policy document gives a guideline of five days for partner/child, two for parent or sibling. Nothing automatically for more distant relations. Managers can vary this according to circumstance.
  • PorcupinePorcupine Posts: 25,231
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    My husbands dad died last friday, and he was given the day off that he died and the following day. He then went back to work on the sunday and he will be allowed the day off for the funeral.

    To be honest, he wanted to get back to work as it took his mind off things.
  • whitecliffewhitecliffe Posts: 12,009
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    sahalouise wrote: »
    I got a day for my Grandma in November and that was just for the funeral.

    For both my grandparents funerals I took annual leave, it never even occurred to me that I might get or be entitled to compassionate leave.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    Forum Member
    I was told that I couldnt go to my grans funeral as somebody else in the team had already got the day off, so I had to miss it.
Sign In or Register to comment.