Bereavement Leave in Ireland

Bereavement leave entitlements in Ireland are more limited than in many comparable countries. Here is what the law provides, and what you can reasonably expect from most employers. If you'd rather have a plan built around your situation, answer a few questions and we'll put one together →

Parental Bereavement Leave — no statutory entitlement in Ireland

There is no statutory entitlement to Parental Bereavement Leave in Ireland following the death of a child. The Republic of Ireland has not enacted equivalent legislation. Most employers provide bereavement leave as a matter of custom and practice — typically 3 to 5 days paid for the death of a child or spouse — but this depends entirely on your employer and contract.

No general statutory bereavement leave

Ireland does not have a general statutory entitlement to paid bereavement leave for deaths other than a child. There is no legal requirement for an employer to grant paid leave for the death of a parent, sibling, partner, grandparent, or other family member.

However, many employers provide bereavement leave as a matter of custom and practice — typically 3 to 5 days for an immediate family member and 1 to 2 days for a more distant relative. Check your employment contract, staff handbook, or ask your HR department. Collective agreements may also provide entitlements.

Force Majeure Leave

The Parental Leave Acts provide for Force Majeure leave — paid leave for urgent family emergencies where the employee’s presence is indispensable. This applies where an immediate family member is injured or ill, not where they have died. It is not a bereavement entitlement, but some employees use it in the immediate aftermath of a death where no other paid leave applies. Force Majeure leave is capped at 3 days in any 12-month period, or 5 days in any 36-month period.

Unpaid leave and annual leave

If your employer does not offer paid bereavement leave, your options include: requesting unpaid leave (your employer is not obliged to grant this, but many will); using annual leave; or, if grief is affecting your ability to work, speaking to your GP about a medical certificate.