Time off for bereavement?

meer53

You've been far too generous already. This was his "future" father in law. My employer is the same as most others, time off allowed for close relatives only. Anything else would be frowned upon, time taken off as sick leave is completely different, i think you need to let your employee know that it's time to come back to work. I too think they're taking the P*ss

bristol_pilot

I agree that 2 weeks off for this is too generous already. At my place of work, you get the day of the funeral off and, at manager's discretion, up to 4 days compassionate leave which tbh is only offered for a close relative like a parent or child. Anything else comes out of paid holiday entitlement - if someone has no paid leave remaining, they can 'borrow' from next year. Unpaid leave can be applied for too. But two weeks off on full pay for the loss of someone who is not even a relative is too much IMO and the likelihood is that the other staff will come to expect it in future.

What is totally wrong in my view is to muddle compassionate leave with 'sickness'. Bereavment is normal, not an illness, and only in exceptional cases where someone has been made ill as a result of bereavement should sickness absence be allowed.

Savvy_Sue

bristol_pilot wrote: »

I agree that 2 weeks off for this is too generous already. At my place of work, you get the day of the funeral off and, at manager's discretion, up to 4 days compassionate leave which tbh is only offered for a close relative like a parent or child. Anything else comes out of paid holiday entitlement - if someone has no paid leave remaining, they can 'borrow' from next year.

There's a limit to how much you can borrow from next year, because you have to have the statutory minimum. So if that's all the employer gives, you can't shunt it from one leave year to another.

bristol_pilot

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

There's a limit to how much you can borrow from next year, because you have to have the statutory minimum. So if that's all the employer gives, you can't shunt it from one leave year to another.

True, but we get 32 days holiday per year, so its not unreasonable to be expected to use some of it to deal with family situations including bereavements.

SandC

Fluffi wrote: »

I'd be pretty miffed if there was a completely flat policy that treated my compassionate leave request (and paid sick leave - which is discretionary at my place) exactly that same as my colleagues that don't work extra (unpaid) hours and spend time chatting during the day.

Being flexible with compassionate leave is one of the few non-pay increase or non-bonus methods that a manager can reward their better employees who've worked consistently well over the months/years.

Just because an employer "rewards" good employees that have already put more into the work "pot" by granting a few extra days doesn't mean they are "punishing" the workers that do less work. Its more a case of the good people getting out what they put in.

My employers would not differentiate between 'good' and 'bad' employees when it comes to bereavement leave. They always recognise that it's a very difficult time. But if someone takes the mick then it will be reflected come appraisal time. Or if it were necessary to make positions redundant.

SandC

bristol_pilot wrote: »

I agree that 2 weeks off for this is too generous already. At my place of work, you get the day of the funeral off and, at manager's discretion, up to 4 days compassionate leave which tbh is only offered for a close relative like a parent or child. Anything else comes out of paid holiday entitlement - if someone has no paid leave remaining, they can 'borrow' from next year. Unpaid leave can be applied for too. But two weeks off on full pay for the loss of someone who is not even a relative is too much IMO and the likelihood is that the other staff will come to expect it in future.

What is totally wrong in my view is to muddle compassionate leave with 'sickness'. Bereavment is normal, not an illness, and only in exceptional cases where someone has been made ill as a result of bereavement should sickness absence be allowed.

However, if you lose a close family member is 3 days off work really enough? If your firm has to follow a procedural paper trail how else does someone have time off without classing it as sick leave?

willing2learn_3

A couple or a few posts have suggested the OP's employee is taking the p1ss - i don't get this, he may be taking longer than others generally take but maybe he doesn't know what the average time is. Maybe he needs guidance on this - a kindly written note to say that compassionate leave typically comes to an end at this point and how is he feeling, maybe he can get back in contact with a plan for how he feels he could return to work.....and some advice as to what options are available if he is struggling with coing back at the immediate time.

We are talking bereavement here - maybe not of his own parent but some parents-in-law are like parents. It is a major life changing event which is permanent and life will never be the same for the people involved.

I doubt he is sat at home gleefully taking the p1ss! he is likely sat at home trying to come to terms with what happened especially as it was very sudden, with no time to think about the fact that 'oh isn't it good i'm not at work.' his colleagues who are at work should count themselves lucky they are and that it's not happened to them. He's been through a tragic event and if he was present when the person died it could well be a traumatic one too.

bobajob_1966

willing2learn wrote: »

A couple or a few posts have suggested the OP's employee is taking the p1ss - i don't get this, he may be taking longer than others generally take but maybe he doesn't know what the average time is. Maybe he needs guidance on this - a kindly written note to say that compassionate leave typically comes to an end at this point and how is he feeling, maybe he can get back in contact with a plan for how he feels he could return to work.....and some advice as to what options are available if he is struggling with coing back at the immediate time.

We are talking bereavement here - maybe not of his own parent but some parents-in-law are like parents. It is a major life changing event which is permanent and life will never be the same for the people involved.

I doubt he is sat at home gleefully taking the p1ss! he is likely sat at home trying to come to terms with what happened especially as it was very sudden, with no time to think about the fact that 'oh isn't it good i'm not at work.' his colleagues who are at work should count themselves lucky they are and that it's not happened to them. He's been through a tragic event and if he was present when the person died it could well be a traumatic one too.

Given that the thread is a month old, I would hope they are back at work now!

willing2learn_3

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

Given that the thread is a month old, I would hope they are back at work now!

You needed to quote me to make that statement?

emsywoo123

willing2learn wrote: »

You needed to quote me to make that statement?

And it took you 3 months to quote this? :rotfl: