Who can get bereavement leave

You can get paid bereavement leave if your job is:

• permanent
• part time
• fixed term
• casual.

To get 3 days’ bereavement leave, you need to have worked for your employer continuously for 6 months.

Bereavement leave

If you’ve been in your job for 6 months, but do not have full-time hours

You need to have worked:

• an average of 10 hours a week, and
• at least 1 hour in every week or 40 hours in every month.

If you’ve been in your job less than 6 months

Your employer might agree to:

• give you bereavement leave in advance
• let you take annual leave — they cannot make you take annual leave.

Death of an immediate family member

You can legally take up to 3 days’ paid bereavement leave after the death of a:

• child
• grandchild
• grandparent
• parent
• partner
• partner’s parent
• sibling.

You can take this leave at any time and for any reason that relates to the death.

Some employers offer more than 3 days leave — check your employment agreement.

What you need to do when someone dies

Death of someone else close to you

You may be able to take 1 day of paid leave if someone else you’re close to dies.

Your employer decides whether you get bereavement leave or need to take annual leave, but they should consider:

• how close you were to the person who died
• any responsibilities you have at the funeral
• your cultural obligations — for example, attending a tangi.

If you need extra bereavement leave

If you need more than 3 days’ bereavement leave, your employer might agree to:

• give you bereavement leave in advance
• let you take annual leave — they cannot make you take annual leave.

When you’ll be paid

You’re only paid for bereavement leave if you’d normally have worked that day.

Otherwise working day

You get your bereavement leave payment on your usual pay day.

Bereavement leave