New campaign calls for statutory bereavement leave and pay in NI

Newly bereaved workers in Northern Ireland are having to choose between taking time off to grieve or the risk of falling into debt, as one in seven employees go without a single day of paid bereavement leave, according to a survey by end of life charity Marie Curie. [1]

It comes as a new campaign group is launched today to lobby Stormont for greater support for bereaved workers in NI. The Coalition for Bereaved Workers (CBW) [2] criticised the 'cruel, uneven playing field' for employees and called for the introduction of two week's statutory bereavement leave and pay for everyone grieving the death of a close relative or partner.

The new survey, conducted with consumer insights platform Attest, found that 44% of bereaved employees in NI felt pressured to return to work before they were ready, with over half (54%) saying they had to return to work too quickly as they couldn't afford to stay off.

Lucy, from Belfast, [3] lost a close relative but wasn't give any paid time off by her employer. She had to return to work three days after the death and says this had a big impact on her health and wellbeing.

Lucy said: "My [relative] died on a Sunday, I was back in work on Wednesday morning. I couldn't afford to stay off work and wasn't paid for the two days I had to take off. It absolutely affected my ability to grieve. I was completely bereft, exhausted and shell shocked. Having to worry about money at such a harrowing time is a very real issue. You have no time to grieve. Putting workers in that unpaid position is simply cruel."

Erica, from Fermanagh, [3] was forced to take a sick day to attend her relative's funeral and was pressured by her employer to return to work the next day.

Erica said: "When my [relative] died I was needed to be present at the wake. I had to take sick days to accommodate this. It is frustrating to have this 'sick' period on my record given that it was due to bereavement. There is no flexibility at all and had I requested annual leave I would have been denied given the short notice. Is it any wonder we are all at crisis point with our mental health? I certainly felt I had to return to work, despite the funeral taking place the day previous."

Craig Harrison, Coordinator of the Coalition for Bereaved Workers and Policy Manager for Marie Curie in NI, said:

"Many organisations treat their staff with compassion when they've experienced a bereavement, but this isn't universal. Access to paid bereavement leave is entirely at the discretion of employers, and what we've ended up with is a cruel, uneven playing field, with too many people missing out on the sufficient and paid time away from work that they need following the death of a loved one.

"Returning to work before they are ready can be very damaging for a bereaved person's mental wellbeing. No one should be forced to return to work a day after they've buried their loved one, or have to choose between taking the time they need to grieve and putting bread on the table, but that is the reality for some workers in Northern Ireland today.

"Legal protections for bereaved employees in Northern Ireland were last updated in 1996 and are in need of an urgent refresh. We're calling on the Assembly to legislate for two weeks' statutory bereavement leave and pay for all staff who lose a close relative or partner."

Geraldine Alexander, Assistant Secretary at trade union NIPSA and member of the new campaign, said:

"As a trade union, we see at first hand the distressing and debilitating effect the loss of a loved one can have on workers. This pandemic has brought into stark relief the devastating impact felt by so many of us who have lost family, friends and colleagues to Coronavirus.

"It has also shone a light on the crucial role employers can play in understanding and respecting the fact that everyone reacts differently to grief. It is a very personal experience which requires employers to adopt a flexible and compassionate approach to ensure the impact on the individual and organisation is minimised. Everyone who experiences bereavement should be afforded time to grieve without fear of losing their job or income."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. Survey of 100 full- or part-time employees in Northern Ireland who have been bereaved in the last year. Survey commissioned by Marie Curie and conducted 14-21 June 2021 by consumer insights platform Attest.
2. The Coalition for Bereaved Workers is a newly formed campaign group. It is coordinated by Marie Curie, with the following members: Action Mental Health, Alzheimer's Society, Carers NI, CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development), Cruse Bereavement Care, NIPSA and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
3. The names and other details of the bereaved workers have been changed to protect their identify and avoid any negative impact on their careers.