How long is acceptable to be off work

[shortsout]

After losing a grandparent?

That really depends. For some people, their gran brought them up and did everything for them, and they were then the sole carer. Other people barely knew them. Workplaces, in my personal experience, don't have a set number of days, but most would be flexible with a reliable employee. If they aren't, and the bereaved personally is genuinely struggling, they can get a fit note. Some workplaces might be flexible about allowing more wfh/flexible hours to sort out the horrible things we need to do when someone dies.

A day or two, plus the funeral.

I’m also a teacher.

For parents, siblings and children we get 5 days plus one day for the funeral.

For grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins we get 2 days plus one day for the funeral.

For in-laws we get one day for the funeral.

Other people are at the discretion of the HT. I had a good friend pass without warning in their sleep age 46, and was allowed a day for the funeral. HT initially said 1/2 a day, but then when it was explained the funeral was 4 hours away granted the day. Paid.

In reality few people stick to the prescribed times. My colleague lost their sister a few years ago and was off for the best part of a year. I expect that’s where a GP note comes in though.

That's a very generous allowance. I've not known another school to give so much leave, but obviously your school does.

I think it’s standard across all councils in Wales. We are LA schools obviously.

Right. Wales is obviously more generous!

Two of my grandparents died before I was born, the other two died when I was a student.

I do remember a colleague getting miffed that she had to take annual leave for the funeral of a step-grandparent so maybe getting paid time off for the funeral is fairly normal?

As others have said, it would depend if they were close and you needed to eg help sell their house etc or they were a distant figure and you were just meant to show at the funeral - and all shades of grey inbetween. Good employers treat their employees as individuals.

I had a week off, paid and the day of and day after the funeral. It all depends on your employer really.

Stepgrandparent? Jesus Christ...😆

Did he self cert for the 2 working days as sickness?

Or did he ask for compassionate leave?

Has he had any other recent sickness or absences? If he hasn’t, then I wouldn’t worry about it.

I work in a school (non-teaching role) and the Headteacher gave me 2 days when my Aunt died and because the funeral was 5-6 hours away, she gave me 4 days. Paid. Your husband needs to check his contract. All employers are different.

If he's on a zero contract hours arrangement then it's absolutely irrelevant what the norm is in any company, he can take as much time off as he likes, they're not paying him? Flexibility cuts both ways, they can't have their cake and eat it. Employers cannot legally mandate that he is available

If there is a policy on how much notice he needs to give about taking time off that also covers sudden bereavement then he should check that he was compliant with that but they didn't ask him to work, they waved him off.

Maybe it's prompted a conversation about how valuable he is and that he should be moved onto a perm contract. Changes are coming in 2027 to these contracts.

Either way, I hope it goes well.

Friday possibly fair enough. Why did he take Monday off?
Assume he will also want time off for the funeral?

Unbelievable. I got 2 days, one of which to include the funeral, when my father died 8 years ago. I work for the NHS and that was the guidance.

Why is it “unbelievable” how do you know anything behind this? Who are you to judge What effect losing a loved one has?

This thread seems to be full of competitive grieving like it’s an achievement to make a love ones death as un disruptive as possible. I find that extremely sad.

None. Compassionate leave for the day of the funeral.

I think were allowed 2 days paid for grandparents. But tbh if people need more unpaid i dont think anyone has been denied it.

5 days is not generous for the loss of a child.

Realistically, OP, you can have as long as your sick leave allows. You can be signed off by a doctor if you’re too depressed to work due to a bereavement.

I worked as a nurse in the NHS when my dad died. My line manager agreed a week off. Subsequently she said she’d be wrong and I had to have it as unpaid leave. That’s the caring NHS for you.

This thread is horrific.

We’re not robots.

You should take as much leave as you need and not feel pressured to return after two days if you’re not ready.

THIS.

I wouldn't expect any time taken off work except for logistical purposes like being far from the office when visiting them, and then a day for the funeral. I didn't take any time off when my nan died and took a half day for her funeral. I was about as close to her as the average person. I guess if they raised you then that would be different but I'd honestly raise an eyebrow at an adult needing time off work to grieve a grandparent.

Just the funeral.

It doesnt matter what anybody thinks is reasonable the answer is generally you get one day for a parents funeral and thats it, if you take any more time off i assume that goes down as sick leave as companies dont care, unless he took it as holiday and thats different tho they will probably still kick off, i knew someone whos parent died young so took ONE day off for funeral, 2 years later other parent died so they asked for day off for funeral and they said no as we give just one day only!!! Needless to say this person just went off sick for weeks

My employer would give you one day for the funeral, but a GP would put you sick for longer.