Just interested - how much time did / does your company give for a bereavement

[Privateeyedriver]

My lovely dad passed away two weeks ago after a 6 month battle with cancer.

Work were obviously aware and if I needed to take time to be with him (to give his partner a break) I had to use annual leave.

Ive been given a weeks paid bereavement leave but it wasn’t enough so I self certified sick last week and will go and see my GP to be further signed off this coming week. The funeral isn’t for another 10 days and there’s so much to do. Concentrating on planning that plus grieving means I cannot think about work.

One of my friends was shocked I only get one week paid but another said that was the norm.

I feel guilty now for taking sick leave but work isn’t on my mind at the moment.

Is a week leave the usual? Or is my employer in the dark ages?

Up to a week paid compassionate. It isn't unusual for people to take a few weeks as paid sick leave thereafter.

My father died when the DC were two and five. I had to carry on being on it and theor mum. Nursery and school drops, etc. That was my job as a SAHM. I couldn't fall apart.

5 days paid at my old workplace when my mum died.

2 weeks paid leave for immediate family members.

Spouse, siblings, parent, child is 5 days. All others is 1 day.

I’ve worked in the NHS for 37 years and have been a line manager for over 20 years and this has not been my experience at all and can’t think why anyone would believe this.

It’s up to 5 days paid bereavement leave though any half reasonable manager would be happy to extend this with annual leave or unpaid leave if required.

Obviously occasionally, people will be too unwell with grief and need longer.

company official stance is 2 weeks, but they gave me 5 weeks paid leave when my little sister died suddenly. There was no pressure for me to return either.

We have four weeks paid bereavement leave for a first degree relative. However its common for people to split it where there is a delay before the funeral. Sometimes after a week or two getting back to work can be helpful along with some time in reserve if needed for a delayed funeral or family needs.

2 days and I was okay with that when my dad died. I'm better to keep going rather than maudlin at home.

5 days ( NHS). I took 3 days sick leave as well, and some annual leave. My dad had died suddenly.

2 weeks where I work and unpaid leave after that.

I was off 2 weeks for my dad, until after the funeral, if honest I felt obliged to go back in then. Went back to a busy time at work and my workload was doubled due to changes in the business, a new manager broke me with how sending she was to the point the md called me to check I was ok. I think when the inevitable happens to my mum
ill be stronger in not rushing back.

I'm so sorry for you loss OP 💐

My current company allow 6 days paid, special leave in a 12mth rolling period and can be used for a funerals and certain caring reasons. There is a discretionary, additional few days for exceptional circumstances.

In similar circumstances, I took unpaid leave after funeral/bereavement leave. I wouldn't have considered sick leave in the same circumstances at the time because it wasn't me that was sick! Maybe you are allowed to do that now? Wishing you all the best and I'm so sorry. x

I’m NHS and I got signed off by the GP for 4 weeks who told me that was what she usually for someone who had just lost a parent. That included the week of helping my mum to care for my dad at home. The GP also prescribed a short course of ADs and I genuinely felt too unwell to work. A short and brutal upper GI cancer.

I was signed off by my GP for eight weeks. But it was my husband who died, and it was extremely sudden (like, he was well on day 1 but he’d died by day 4). I was not able to function during this period in anything like a normal way.

10 paid days for parent, child, partner or sibling. Discretionary for friends or other relatives.

5 days plus one for funeral for parents or spouse
We do advise managers they can be flexible too as some may be executors, some need to travel etc

Not uncommon for people to then take sickleave everyone responds differently

NHS - nothing, I was expected to take it as sick leave.

When my mum died I was told not to worry about work and take whatever time I needed. I took 3 days as she lived 300 miles away. When I got my pay I wasn’t paid for those days. When I queried it I was told as I wasn’t in work I wasn’t getting paid and I wouldn’t get paid for the day of the funeral either. I told them to stuff their job and walked out.

Is it? What’s shocking about it?

but why would anyone take annual leave when they would be grieving and not able to do their job and they get full pay ?

One week paid and more if necessary at the manager's discretion.

I lost my dad quite recently and took a week off, plus one day for the funeral.

I’m nhs…think it’s 3 days compassionate …but everyone goes off sick on full pay…most take around 3 months off for a parent

I know your question was to a PP but I think it's shocking that everyone goes off sick on full pay and the fact that most of them take around 3 months off, makes it look like a copycat culture rather than time off they really need.

There is no written policy at my place, it’s very much at management’s discretion and they are very kind and empathetic, encouraging people to take as much time as they need (all on full pay).

I have had 2 funerals recently for family friends and offered to take annual leave for them but they said of course that wouldn’t be necessary and just said let them know the hours I wouldn’t be online and if I needed anything covered.

A week is generous, three days wherever I have worked. I would self certify and then get signed off as long as needed

25 years in NHS and I’ve never known people to take 3 months off after death of a parent. I’ve known people who've come into work on the day of the funeral. But if someone has 3 months off then that must be with GP note as sick leave. There’s no other policy that would cover that absence other than sickness.