Compassionate/bereavement leave

Compassionate Leave

In certain circumstances special leave of absence may be granted at the discretion of Human Resources, and application for such leave should be made through the Head of Department.

Bereavement Leave

Bereavement Leave is granted at the discretion of management and is by its very nature a personal matter. A member of staff's need to respond to bereavement by taking time off work should be recognised but the granting of paid leave for doing so does not apply in all circumstances. Annual holidays and unpaid leave are both alternatives to paid leave and a combination of bereavement leave and unpaid leave or annual leave could be applicable.

The granting of paid leave will normally be restricted to the death of a member of the immediate family and the amount of leave will be determined in accordance with the factors given below.

Attending a funeral - up to one day's paid leave may be granted for attendance of a funeral where the member of staff's relationship to the deceased in one of the following - husband, wife, child, parent, parent in law, son/daughter in law, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister.

Responsibility for funeral arrangements - When a member of staff has the primary responsibility for making the funeral arrangements, i.e dealing with the Registrar and Undertaker, contacting members of the family etc and the members of staff's relationship is one of those listed above, up to an additional two days leave may be granted for this purpose.

Travelling - Where extensive travelling in involved in the making of funeral arramgements or in attending a funeral, consideration may also be given to granting up to one day's additional leave.