Everything you need to know about bereavement leave

The death of a loved one can be a daunting and stressful experience. Besides dealing with the emotional distress that comes with your loss, you may also have to handle a variety of tasks. This may include organizing or attending the funeral and managing certain legal procedures. If you're an employee, it's essential to find out whether you're entitled to time off work when a family member or loved one passes away.

Also known as compassionate leave, bereavement leave refers to the time off an employee receives after the loss of a loved one. Many companies have a compassionate or bereavement leave policy in place so they can show sympathy and support for their grieving employees. This can go a long way in improving employee satisfaction and loyalty.

This guide takes a comprehensive look into bereavement leave by covering the following topics:

• What is bereavement leave?
• How long is bereavement leave in the Philippines?
• Who qualifies for bereavement leave?
• Navigating bereavement leave as an employee
• Managing bereavement leave requests as an employer
• How to extend bereavement leave in the Philippines
• Returning to work after bereavement
• Conclusion
• FAQs

What is bereavement leave? 

Bereavement leave is a workplace policy that enables you to take time off to grieve the loss of a loved one. It applies only when an employee's family member or relative passes away. Depending on the terms of your employment contract, you may receive paid or unpaid leave. Compassionate leave allows you time to grieve, attend memorial services, and take care of any necessary financial and legal matters.

Currently, the Philippines has no enabling law for bereavement leave. While the labor code does provide a 5-day service incentive leave, employers are not legally mandated to offer compassionate leave to their employees. However, it's common practice among companies to include this provision in employment contracts to support their employees through times of hardship. If your contract doesn't mention paid compassionate leave, your employer may still allow you to request time off work.

How long is bereavement leave in the Philippines? 

If you're wondering how many days of bereavement leave Philippine employees can receive, the answer varies from one company to another. Although bereavement leaves are not mandatory, it’s good practice for companies to offer them. 

An employer may vary the leave duration based on the following factors:

1. The employee's relationship with the deceased. 
2. The funeral practices of the employee’s culture.

Let’s elaborate:

The employee's relationship with the deceased

If the deceased is an immediate family member, they'll likely grant a longer bereavement leave. Examples of immediate family members include spouses, children, parents, and siblings. In contrast, the death of distant relatives may not entitle you to any compassionate leave. This can include grandparents, in-laws, uncles and aunts, or cousins.

The funeral practices of the employee’s culture.

Bereavement leave would usually be two to five days since a majority of Filipinos are Catholic. This is in alignment with Catholic funeral customs which lasts for about a week. 

Filipinos of different ethnicities and religions may have varying funeral practices and traditions. For example, Muslim burials are usually quick, as they don't involve viewings of the deceased. On the other hand, Chinese wakes usually span three to five days. You may need to extend your compassionate leave depending on the number of days your company allows you to take.

Who qualifies for bereavement leave? 

Since compassionate leave is entirely at the discretion of the employer, it's up to the company to decide who qualifies for this provision. In most companies, full-time employees can usually receive compassionate leave ranging from two to five days. An employer may also allow part-time employees to take time off to grieve the loss of a family member. If you're a contractual worker, you won't qualify for bereavement leave, as you're a separate entity from the company that hires you.

Bereavement leave usually only applies to the death of an immediate family member. However, employers may offer the leave to employees from a non-traditional family. For instance, somebody who has lost a step-parent, step-sibling, stepchild, or guardian. Again, it all depends on the employer.

The documentation needed for leave approval may also vary from company to company. Some employers don't require you to provide any proof of loss, while others may want you to show them a death certificate. Other types of documents may include a funeral program, a prayer card, or just the deceased family member's name. Consult your employer to find out exactly what documentation you need when applying for bereavement leave.

Navigating bereavement leave as an employee 

Companies may have different procedures for requesting bereavement leave. To ensure a smooth process, it's important to ask your employer what you need to do to apply for compassionate leave. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to request bereavement leave in most companies:

• Check your company's policies to determine whether there is a formal bereavement policy and how many days of leave it allows you.
• Find out who you should speak with to request compassionate leave. This is usually your supervisor, manager, or somebody in human resources.
• Send a simple leave request email to the person to let them know that you want to apply for compassionate leave and ask them about the requirements you need to meet.
• Make sure you prepare the documents to prove your loss, such as an obituary, program from the funeral, or death certificate.
• In some cases, you may need to fill out a form that includes details of your request. This could include your relationship to the deceased, the duration of leave you're requesting, and the name of the funeral home.

The death of a loved one is a sensitive topic. Understandably, you may have trouble discussing it with your employer and colleagues. You can refrain from revealing any information that you don't feel comfortable sharing with the company. Just explain why you want to take time off work and provide any information they need to process your bereavement leave request.

Additionally, make sure your team members know that you're taking compassionate leave. This allows them to prepare for your absence and take over your job responsibilities while you're away. Without having to worry about what's going on at work, you can focus on your grieving process and your family's needs in these distressing times.

Managing bereavement leave requests as an employer 

In addition to having a bereavement leave policy in place, an employer can also show support to mourning employees in other ways. Properly responding to a bereavement leave request can help the employee cope with their loss and recover more quickly. The following are some best practices you can follow:

• Treat bereavement leave requests with confidentiality.
• Educate your employees on the needs of the bereft employee.
• Train your managers and supervisors to handle compassionate leave sensitively.
• Allow the grieving employee to have a flexible work schedule so they can tend to their personal needs.
• Assign one or more employees to help with the grieving employee's workload.
• Connect the grieving employee with a colleague who is close to them or has had a similar experience for emotional support.
• Provide additional assistance through an employee assistance program.

How to extend bereavement leave in the Philippines 

If you're a grieving employee, some circumstances may make it necessary for you to extend your bereavement leave. Additional responsibilities may burden you after the death of your loved one, or you may need to travel a long distance to attend the funeral.

Sometimes, your employer can allow you to take additional time off for bereavement. In some companies, employees can use their paid leave, such as sick or annual leave, or unpaid leave to extend their compassionate leave. Also, some employers may offer mourning employees a more flexible work schedule, such as working part-time or remotely.

The impact of your absence on your team's performance and productivity is a factor that can affect your eligibility for a bereavement leave extension. Your employer is more likely to grant you a compassionate leave extension if they can find somebody who can competently perform your duties and responsibilities while you're away.

Returning to work after bereavement 

Grief lasts longer than the two to five days of compassionate leave that most companies offer. When it comes time to return to work, you may not know what to expect. You'll probably feel anxious about what your colleagues may say or worry that your emotional state may affect your job performance. Here are some things you can do to better cope with grief at work:

• Focus on your job: Staying busy helps with healing. Don't expect to work at full capacity right after returning from your compassionate leave. Just focus on being productive to move your mind away from your grief. This can help you avoid feeling emotionally overwhelmed.
• Seek help or therapy: Don't feel ashamed to ask for help when you need it. Open yourself up to your colleagues so that they can understand what you're going through and provide the support you need. If you need help with emotional issues, consult a grief counselor or therapist.
• Create breaks: While it's important to stay busy, don't forget to show yourself kindness. Grief can sap your energy, so make sure you take breaks to prevent burnout. Doing breathing exercises, meditating, or going for a walk can help reduce stress at work.

If you're an employer, you can help a grieving employee transition back to work by having a sit-down conversation with them. Try to find out what they need to get through these difficult times and make the necessary adjustments to support them. These may include reducing their workload or changing their work schedule. You can also include grief counseling in your employee assistance program or offer subsidies for grief counselors to help the employee healthily process their emotions.

Conclusion 

Bereavement leave is an important workplace policy, as it gives employees the emotional space they need to cope with the death of a loved one. Such a provision can help employees stay emotionally healthy and contribute to a positive work environment. Both employees and employers can play a vital role in providing support for mourning employees. Grieving employees can more readily return to their daily routines when their colleagues understand their needs and make necessary adjustments to their workload.

Although it isn't a legal requirement, workplaces should strongly consider creating a company policy that mandates paid bereavement leave. This can go a long way in fostering a culture of understanding and compassion in the workplace, which can result in a happier and more dedicated workforce.

FAQs 

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about bereavement leave:

1. How does bereavement leave work?
   Bereavement leave is a type of leave an employee can receive when a family member passes away. Upon gaining approval for the leave, you can take several days off work to grieve, attend the funeral, and manage any legal and financial responsibilities that result from the death.
2. What is the typical duration of bereavement leave?
   Most companies offer at least two days of paid compassionate leave to grieving employees. The exact duration varies from employer to employer.
3. Can I take bereavement leave for non-immediate family members?
   Depending on your company's policies, you may receive compassionate leave if the deceased loved one is a non-immediate family member. Usually, this kind of leave is only applicable to the death of immediate family members, such as a spouse, parent, child, or sibling.
4. Is bereavement leave paid or unpaid?
   You may receive paid or unpaid bereavement leave. However, many employers will continue to pay a bereft employee's salary despite their absence from work.
5. How many days of bereavement leave am I entitled to?
   If your employer offers bereavement leave, you're usually allowed to take 2 to 5 days off from work.
6. Can I extend my bereavement leave?
   Extension of bereavement leave is at the discretion of the employer. Some companies allow their employees to take additional time off for bereavement, while others don't.
7. What happens if I need more time off than my bereavement leave allows?
   If you explain to your employer why you need a longer bereavement leave, they may be willing to grant you an extension. Alternatively, you can try using another type of service incentive leave to get extra time away from work.
8. Do all companies offer bereavement leave?
   Not all companies have a bereavement leave policy. Then again, most of them allow employees to request a leave of absence to grieve the loss of a loved one.
9. Can I use sick leave instead of bereavement leave?
   Yes, you can try to use your sick leave or any other service incentive leave to replace or extend your bereavement leave. However, there's no guarantee that you'll receive approved leave.
10. Are part-time employees eligible for bereavement leave?
    Again, it depends on your employer. Some companies provide compassionate leave to part-time workers.