Berevement Leave

[chris1012]

Hi all

 

FiL died and in his last few days i was off work and spent alot of it in hospital with him and my wife.

 

After he died i had to take 2 more days off for the funeral.

 

I have had my payslip through for last month and i am marked for 3 days absent and 2 days holiday.

 

I had called them to let them know i wouldent be able to work whilst he was dying in hospital, after he had died i called and asked about bereveent leave to which i was told with regards that i had just had 3 days off and for anymore i needed to use holidays.

 

My question is are berevement days (i understand you are allowed 3 days) paid or unpaid? as them 3 days represent almost 20% of what i would have been paid for this period so i am quite short after the extra expenses of getting funeral clothes, childminders while in hospital and for the wake etc as well as it being a long period since last pay day.

[Emmzzi]

There is no legal right to any bereavement leave. Most companies will have a policy stating what their leave is, if it is paid, this is beyond what the law requires.

 

In addition as it was your father in law and not your father, I will be surprised if it applies. But you do need to get a copy of the policy.

[Sidewinder]

There is a legal right for 'reasonable' time off to deal with a family emergency, but not to be paid for it, and the 'reasonable' element would only extend to sufficient time to deal with the direct impact of the emergency - for example the childcare which might need to be arranged. There is (currently, although there is a proposal to change this) no right to 'bereavement' leave, either paid or unpaid.

 

As Emmzzi says, anything over and above this is down to the goodwill of the employer, or an express term in your contract rather than a 'right'

[becky2585]

Whilst many employers would allow a small period of paid bereavement leave, unfortunately there is no legal entitlement to it; paid or unpaid.

 

If your employer has followed it's own policy consistently, then it's likely you have been paid in the correct manner.