bereavement and time off work
6th February 2009 by admin No Commentsbereavement and time off work
“Two Losses: Coping with Bereavement and Perils of Losing a Job”
At one point in our lives, we are all entitled to undergo bereavement and as we try to deal with the loss of a loved one, we are also most concerned about how we are going to recover and be able to get back to work.
Though you might feel the need to protect your job by returningto work too soon, you might just find yourself not functioning at your best, and thereby more likely to lose the job that you want to keep.
Being open with one’s feelings of great sorrow during the process of bereavement and taking time off from work are some of the better ways that can help you deal with this problem.
Although it is not required by Federal law to entitle every employee to a right to bereavement and time off work, most employers are sympathetic enough to grant you either a paid or unpaid bereavement leave benefit, depending on terms and agreements between the employer and employee.
This said, it is important to know your bereavement and time off work benefits by going over your contract or company policies again, or better yet, knowing them before even signing your contract upon being hired. This will lessen your stresses surrounding the death of a family member and your worries of losing your job.
Although bereavement and time off work policies are upon the employer’s discretion, every employer should realize that losing a loved one is after all, one of the most painful things that could ever happen to an individual, whilst the most inevitable.
