When is an employee entitled to bereavement leave?

Bereavement is always sad. It can also be difficult to navigate at work, especially if it happens to a worker on a zero hours or flexible contract.

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on SmallBusiness.co.uk

Bereavement leave is a right most employees are entitled to, though difficulties arise when zero hours or more flexible contracts are involved. 

If a child under the age of 18 dies, or is stillborn, a worker can take up to 14 days off work within 56 weeks of the death. However details in bereavement leave differ depending on your employee’s normal work week (one, two, three days, etc).

Every worker is entitled to leave when making arrangements for a funeral, though zero hours staff do not necessarily qualify as company employees and, therefore, do not have as many rights as those on full-time contracts, for example. It’s worth the employer and employee sitting down to read over the contract and discuss specific details, importantly looking to see if any period off is paid.

Look at the finer print and details. In most cases, if the employee’s contract allows for paid leave, they should be paid for the days that they’d otherwise be working. If they are normally at work, and need this time off, then this will probably activate your contractual term; if they are not on schedule to work, and don’t have to take time on leave, then it won’t be activated.