Time off work for funeral: when can you claim it?
In this article, we would like to advise you what you are entitled to in the case of the death of someone close to you. In certain cases, you are entitled to paid days off for the funeral, which would free you from work and make it possible for you to arrange a funeral and take part in it. It depends on what your relation to the deceased was, as well as several other factors.
Who is entitled for free time for funeral (and for how long)?
- If one of your relatives dies
If your spouse, partner or child dies, given by law, you are entitled for two days of paid days off and another paid day off for the funeral. At maximum, you may have three paid days off.
In the case of the death of your parents, siblings, grandparents, father in law, mother in law, brother in law, sister in law, son in law and daughter in law, employees are entitled to one paid day off for the funeral, and if you are arranging for the funeral, one more day. Two paid days off at maximum.
- If a person you shared household with dies
If a relative, not mentioned in the list above, dies, you are entitled for paid day off if the relative lived with you in shared household at the time of death. That same is applied for any other people, who lived with you in one household. You are entitled for one day off as well in the case that your partner, which lived with you in one household, died.
- If your workplace colleague died
According to the government regulation, there is another possibility – a salary refund to the co-workers of the deceased. They can get paid time off for the time necessary for the funeral. During that time, they should attend the ceremony and then return to work. However, this claim is not given – the employer may choose the funeral guests.
- Other cases
If you need day off for funeral in any cases not mentioned above, your only option is an agreement with your employer, taking a standard vacation day, or an unpaid day off.
Entitlement for paid days off can be cancelled in the case that the employee had an unexcused day of absence from work in the month of the funeral. In this case, the employer may refuse to provide days off.
Days off for funeral or a funeral farewell?
According to the law, there are conditions what can be considered a funeral and what cannot. Funeral is a deposit of remains to a grave, urn or their scatter. You are not entitled to additional days off in the case that there is another funeral event on a different workday related to the funeral, for example a farewell to the close people.
What you need to get the days off?
If necessary, the funeral home will issue a confirmation of your attendance at a funeral, which will prove without any doubt that you were attending a funeral and that you are entitled for days off.
We will happily provide all the information at our nonstop phoneline of our funeral home +420 725 900 800
