What is bereavement leave?
In New Zealand, bereavement leave enables employees to take time off to grieve and attend to other matters related to a bereavement.
Who is eligible for bereavement leave?
All employees in New Zealand are eligible for bereavement leave every 12 months whether they are casual, part-time, full-time or fixed term, provided they meet the following conditions:
- The employee has worked for the same employer on a continuous basis for at least six months; or
- The employee has worked for the same employer for six months for an average of 10 hours per week and at least 40 hours per month
What is the minimum entitlement for bereavement leave?
The minimum entitlement for bereavement leave in New Zealand is three days in the event of any of the following circumstances:
- An immediate family member of the employee has passed away (e.g. a parent, child, brother, sister, partner or spouse, grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law)
- The employee has a miscarriage or stillbirth
- Another person related to the employee has a miscarriage or stillbirth including:
- Their partner
- Their former partner where they would have been the biological parent of the child born as a result of the pregnancy
- A person with whom an agreement has been made that the employee would have been the primary carer of the child born as a result of the pregnancy. e.g. through adoption or a whāngai arrangement
If an employee has had someone close to them pass away that does not fall under the aforementioned bereavement criteria, they are still eligible to a period of leave. At the discretion of their employer, they are entitled to one day of bereavement leave based on criteria such as:
- The nature and closeness of the relationship of the deceased person with the employee
- The amount of responsibility they have regarding arrangements and ceremonies following the death
- Their cultural responsibilities relating to the death
The employer may also choose to give an employee extra leave at their own discretion.
Need help with leave management?
We understand that when managing leave, there are many ins-and-outs in terms of eligibility and entitlements. Employment Hero features a leave management system that can give you confidence you’re managing leave correctly. Our platform allows for real-time visibility of available leave, and enables leave requests to be submitted and approved quickly through our mobile or desktop app.
Book a demo with us to learn more!
Disclaimer: The information in this article is current as at 31-Oct-2022, and has been prepared by Employment Hero Pty Ltd (ABN 11 160 047 709) and its related corporate bodies (Employment Hero). The views expressed in this article are general information only, are provided in good faith to assist employers and their employees, and should not be relied on as professional advice. The Information is based on data supplied by third parties. While such data is believed to be accurate, it has not been independently verified, and no warranties are given that it is complete, accurate, up-to-date or fit for the purpose for which it is required. Employment Hero does not accept responsibility for any inaccuracy in such data and is not liable for any loss or damages arising directly or indirectly as a result of reliance on, use of or inability to use any information provided in this article. You should undertake your own research and seek professional advice before making any decisions or relying on the information in this article.
