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Can an employer deny your request to go to a funeral?
I work at a state university in a small office where only 3 of us work. We all know the same crowd of people. A friend of ours passed away a couple of days ago. The supervisor refuses to close the office for an hour to go to the funeral, but says that she will stay at the office this time, but from now on when someone dies that we all know, we will have to take turns going to the funeral. Both me and my coworker think she's full of it. As we both said, no one is going to tell me whose funeral I will or will not attend. If someone I care for dearly dies and it's not my turn, too bad. I don't think so.
Wouldn't you think that would be illegal? I know I would quit my job if I really loved someone and my boss told me that I could not go to their funeral. I would think lawsuit. To tell you whose funeral you can or can't go to seems very cruel and unethical. By the way, we're not being paid while we are at the funeral.
Anyone ever dealt with this problem before?
What really sucks is that we are all supposedly friends. It just seems like our supervisor is trying to show us that she runs the show. Really she has no problem with me, but her and my other coworker seem to have a power struggle and I'm caught in the middle. If it were to occur that I wanted to go to a funeral and she said no, I would take it to a higher up position. I'm going to the funeral tomorrow, but the other 2 were fighting it out all day. I figure it will be happening to me next though. Just because you're not related, it doesn't mean that you love that person any less.
I would understand not giving paid funeral leave if it weren't a relative. But, sometimes friends mean alot more than some relatives.
5 Answers
- sunflowerlizardLv 61 decade agoFavorite Answer
If your company does not have a funeral leave policy your super have every authority to deny time off for a funeral. Even if there is a policy it states that it is at your super's discression, and if there will be a strain on the office, yes she can refuse to let you off.
- DeeJayLv 71 decade ago
There should be policy on funerals. I think it's a bad call on the part of your supervisor. You must have some type of annual leave or sick leave. Maybe you could take a few hours of your annual. If you can't make the funeral you can show your sympathy in other ways. Go to the viewing, take in food and send flowers or have all her co-workers sign a card and give money. Visit the grave. I sympathize with you.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
She is within her right if the person is not related to both of you. If she is related to you then its a completely different story - that you could try a lawsuit on. Also to prevent people from making up funerals for free time off, supervisors are within their right to require proof of death, like an obituary.
- 1 decade ago
I have never heard of such a problem before. But your employer has the right to stop you from going out for any reason. If you badly want to attend a funeral, take the day off.
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- Anonymous1 decade ago
Yikes. Haul out the company policy manual, I'm sure they quote it to you when it suits them. Also, call your local labor board, and ask if there are provincial/state laws about bereavement leave.
