Death and funeral

If you are visiting this page after a relative’s death, we understand that this is a difficult time for you.

Workers may be absent from work between the time of death and the funeral in the event of a relative’s death. While they are absent, their employment relationship is protected.

Days of absence

A worker may be absent from work for 5 days, including 2 with pay, for the death or preparation of the funeral of:

• their spouse
• their child
• their spouse’s child
• their father, mother or one of their parents
• their brother or sister

The salary that the employer must pay them for the 2 days of absence with pay is equivalent to what they would have earned if they had worked.

A worker may also be absent from work for 1 day without pay for the death or funeral of:

• their son in law or daughter in law
• one of their grandparents
• one of their grandchildren
• one of their parents in law (their spouse’s father, mother or one of their spouse’s parents)
• their brother in law or sister in law (their spouse’s brother or sister)

A worker who is absent must notify their employer as soon as possible.

All workers may be absent under these circumstances, regardless of the length of their uninterrupted service and their employment status (full time, part time, temporary, casual or on call).

Example of absence for a death 

Rosa works at an hourly rate of $28, 7 hours a day, from Monday to Friday. She receives $196 per day of work ($28 x 7 hours of work = $196).

Rosa was absent from work on Monday following the announcement of her father’s death. She also asked her employer to take Friday off for her father’s funeral.

Therefore, her employer will pay her $392 in total for these 2 days of absence ($196 x 2 days = $392).

The other 3 days for which she had to be absent to organize the funeral and to settle some administrative matters are not paid by the employer.