75% employers back more support for bereavement leave

The majority of employers support their staff when it comes to losing someone close to them.

In fact, research shared by the CIPD has found that 75% of organisations support extending Jack’s Law to allow employees experiencing close family bereavement to take paid time off.

The result come following a parliamentary event co-hosted with the body and Patricia Gibson MP for MPs and Lords to discuss Patricia’s Bill on bereavement leave and pay, which will have its second reading on 18 March 2022.

Working parents are given a legal right to bereavement leave and pay if they lose a child under the age of 18 following Jack’s Law, however this right doesn’t currently exist for people who lose a close family member.

The two weeks of paid parental bereavement leave is available to workers with 26 weeks’ continuous service with their employer and weekly average earnings over the lower earnings limit (taking home an average of £120 per week before tax).

However, extending the right to anyone who loses a close family member would mean that staff members would also have the right to two weeks’ paid leave from work.

This could include the loss of a parent, child, a partner, whether by blood, adoption or through marriage/a partner.

“Employees that have experienced a close family bereavement will need time to come to terms with what has happened and will be highly unlikely to be able to perform well at work if they are forced to return too quickly,” Claire McCartney, senior policy adviser for resourcing and inclusion at the CIPD, explained.

“While many organisations provide paid bereavement leave to support employees at one of the most difficult times of their lives, this is far from universal and extending the statutory provision is likely to give employees time and space to grieve rather than worrying about paying their bills and financial worries.”

It seems that employers have put in place support themselves for staff, as the CIPD found that 80% already provide paid bereavement leave for close family members.

The most common length of paid leave is between three and five days (40%), followed by one to two days (14%).

In addition, just over one in ten offer two weeks of paid leave.

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