Time off for bereavement?

mildred1978

bargainbetty wrote: »

You can't say that a better employee should get more - it is discriminatory under constructive dismissal rules (doesn't have to be colour/race/gender to be discrimination) and you would be wise to get the whole thing on paper for everyone.

:huh:

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Oldernotwiser

Sorry, I think that this is ridiculously generous for someone who isn't even a relative!

3/4 days plus a day for the funeral is generally considered the norm following the death of a parent but nothing for someone who isn't related and normally only a day for an actual in law.

I think you're opening yourself to all sorts of problems for yourself in the future regarding other members of staff.

heretolearn_2

You can give whatever compassionate leave you want to, paid or unpaid, but bear in mind how other employees might view this and if you can be consistent.

On your question of what is normal - I think you've already gone beyond that for a non-blood relative. 3 days leave seems to be about the usual I've encountered where I've worked for that sort of relationship, with up to two weeks as standard for spouse/parent/child.

Leave in these circumstances has to end some time. It's not as if on day 14 he's going to feel heartbroken and on day 15 feel perfectly fine, so everyone has to get back to work and get on with things at a reasonable time even if they are still upset overall. A lot of people actually feel it's helpful to get back to their usual routine.

Uncertain

bargainbetty wrote: »

You can't say that a better employee should get more - it is discriminatory under constructive dismissal rules (doesn't have to be colour/race/gender to be discrimination) and you would be wise to get the whole thing on paper for everyone.

Absolute nonsense! This is what I call the coffee cup mentality (caution contents may be hot for fear of being sued) taken to extreme!

It is no different whatever to giving a good employee a bonus and refusing one to a poor performer.

If you are really worried about this aspect you can get round it by treating the time off as unpaid leave then paying a bonus fore excellent work in the last quarter!

Another option is to suggest the bereaved employee gets a sick note from his doctor then use your "discretion" to pay for the sick leave.

I do agree however that two weeks for an future in-law is generous in the extreme.

Bobl

Two weeks for a future in-law is far too much, in my opinion he is taking the mick. Time off is usually only given for close relatives, and even then two weeks is too much. I would normally give up to a week paid plus a day for the funeral, anything else should be unpaid or Annual Leave.

You are running a business not a charity.

Torry_Quine

I have to agree that it's a very generous time off for someone who is not a close relative. My OH got three days when an in-law died and went back to work the day after the funeral which I always thought was the norm.

Slinky

My husband took 3 days off to help me with the arrangements when my father died (in our home) plus a day for the funeral. I wouldn't have expected more support time from his employer than this.

Two weeks is extrodinarily generous with no end in sight.

moremore

Googlewhacker wrote: »

Again as long as its not done for discriminatory reasons such as race, gender etc then is there anything wrong in doing that....I don't, if anything it might make that employee think that they are not wanted by the company.

No different to giving different staff different pay rises

I have obviously got employment law all wrong. Employer that gives one of their employee 2 weeks paid offf work for bereavement of an immediate family. #The employer then tells another member of staff that he/she cannot have any bereavement leave of an immediate member...is this not discriminations.

Also, if members of staff is employed on a specific rate and then others are taken on for the same jobs are given more enhanced rate ie double rate for bank holidays and other employees are given time and half for the same bank holidays, for exactely the same job surely that is discriminations or have I got it all wrong?:o:o

SandC

Guess it depends whether there are any procedures in place which I'm guessing there aren't. Usually non immediate family are not covered full stop by bereavement policies anyway.

If there isn't a policy in place then it can't be discriminatory. As far as I'm aware there isn't a statutory law covering bereavement but I'm sure someone will correct me if that's not right.

skintandscared_2

At our firm we would get up to one week's paid compassionate leave for a close family member but after that (unless it was husband/wife I think) it would be unpaid leave. I don't think a parent-in-law would be classed as a "close" family member, but understand that the person's partner would probably need that extra support if possible. I think that two weeks is probably the upper limit of what employers would offer, and as others have said, the rest of the employees will have no reason to expect any different treatment in this situation.