Leave to attend a funeral of family member

moremore

A close member of my family passed away in June, my firm would not let me have paid leave off to attend the funeral. Spoken to lots of other members of staff (some joined the firm years after me) and have told me that they got 2 weeks paid leave when their loves ones died, without any problems. There is nothing in the staff handbook about being paid time off when a close member of families dies, but as other members of staff got this leave at stressful time, I feel that I should have as we. Is this discrimination?:(

Valli

Most companies offer compassionate leave; some pay. There SHOULD be a policy.
Companies usually specify how close the family member has to be e.g.- parent, spouse, child.

Is there a union? - unions often negotiate conditions and this would be one.

I would counsel AGAINST accepting what colleagues SAY they got and check the actual policy with your line manager/HR dept.

SarEl

No it is not discrimination. It is management exercising their legal right to use their discretion. There is no right to paid time off for any funerals, but most employers will allow a day or two for immediate kin. Some allow the same for close relatives. But you have no right to any time off and no right to paid time off at all. Any leave which the employer may give and the conditions for giving it would be contractual - either in your employment contract, or in company policy.

KiKi

It's unfair that other people have had more than you, but it's not discrimination unless you are being treated differently based on your gender, race, nationality, disability etc.

You haven't said who passed away, but if it's a dependent (ie, household member or someone who is dependent on you for care), then you have a right to a day off for the funeral, but the employer doesn't have to pay you.

If it's not a dependant then you have no option than to take a day's annual leave, if your employer approves it.

This is the statutory requirement, so I assume your employer has no written leave on dependants or compassionate leave?

Sorry to hear of your loss.
KiKi

Emmzi

as everyone else has said, probably not. Harsh if it was a parent, what I would expect for a second cousin. Company policy rarely differentiates for emotional closeness. My sympathies.

staffie1

moremore wrote: »

Spoken to lots of other members of staff (some joined the firm years after me) and have told me that they got 2 weeks paid leave when their loves ones died, without any problems.

You shouldn't always believe what you hear. People in the workplace sometimes have a habit of exaggerating about how their experience was better than yours.

SarEl's comments are absolutely correct.

SarEl

Hmmm - on reflection, I would guess that your colleagues, "prostrate from grief", signed themselves off for two weeks, because not even the most generous employer gives two weeks off! But I wouldn't try that sort of tactic these days - not when sick leave gets counted for the redundancies that are always looming around the corner.

moremore

It was my brother that died suddenly, 3 other members of staff were shocked when I told them that they company would not give me time off for the funeral, they said that they got leave to attend funeral of love ones and I have no reason to disbelieve them. It was a struggle to get a day off without leave for the funeral with manager. I have checked and found nothing relating to funeral leave in the company policy, I will have another check though.

keith1950

Hi moremore, most companies I have worked for have given 2/3 days of paid compassionate leave for immediate family members. (Mother/Father/Son/Daughter/Grandparents.).

For other family members ( Aunt/Uncle/Cousins/etc.) it has usually time off to attend the funeral.( 4-8 hours depending on time of funeral and location.)

So in answer to your question up to three days seems acceptable for immediate family members.

To be given two weeks paid leave does seem exceptional, are you sure it wasn't 2/3 days paid leave and the rest unpaid? ,as has already been said I would not always believe what people say they have received.

I would counsel AGAINST accepting what colleagues SAY they got and check the actual policy with your line manager/HR dept.

amibovvered

I find it very hard to believe that any employer would grant 2 weeks leave! I couldn't get even 1 day leave to attend an uncle's funeral as the relationship wasn't deemed close enough. I think sometimes people can get more than just minimum leave (i.e. 1 day for funeral) if they are responsible for actually organising the funeral etc and also if there are child care issues (eg deceased had young children and you are next of kin) but even that is discretionary and even then wouldn't necessarily be as long as 2 weeks!

KiKi

moremore wrote: »

It was my brother that died suddenly, 3 other members of staff were shocked when I told them that they company would not give me time off for the funeral, they said that they got leave to attend funeral of love ones and I have no reason to disbelieve them. It was a struggle to get a day off without leave for the funeral with manager. I have checked and found nothing relating to funeral leave in the company policy, I will have another check though.

For your brother - although not strictly a dependent (and therefore not a legal requirement) - you should get a day's unpaid leave. Any company worth their salt would give you a day's paid leave for that close a relative.

If you need to, I would quote Dependant's Leave, citing that your brother is a dependent and has relied on you for support up until now. Whilst that may not be true, and whilst I don't advocate lying, any employer refusing leave for the funeral of your own sibling deserves it.

This is what you should look at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Timeoffandholidays/DG_10026555

I'm very sorry for your loss, OP.
KiKi