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Parental bereavement leave confirmation letter

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If an employee has provided notice of them taking parental bereavement leave, issue this model letter template as confirmation.

The letter emphasises the assistance you are offering to the employee.

Reading time
How long to understand and implement this letter?
5 mins
Word count
How many words in this letter?
322
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What is a Parental bereavement leave confirmation letter?

A Parental Bereavement Leave Confirmation Letter is a document that confirms an employee's eligibility for parental bereavement leave, a type of statutory leave granted to employees who have lost a child.

The purpose of this letter is to provide proof to the employer that the employee is entitled to take leave, and to specify the period of leave that the employee is allowed to take. It helps the employer to manage their staff's absence effectively and to ensure that they comply with the law on parental bereavement leave.

The confirmation letter may be issued by the employee's healthcare provider or by the employer's HR department, and it should contain information such as the employee's name, the name of the deceased child, and the period of leave that has been approved.

Issued by who, to whom
Who should issue this letter, and to whom?
The Employer (you) to the Employee
Applicable legal jurisdictions
In which jurisdictions can this letter be used?
Great Britain & NI (United Kingdom), Worldwide

What legislation and best practice guidelines have been taken into account in the development of this template?

United Kingdom

  • Parental Bereavement Leave is a statutory right for employees who have lost a child, which came into effect on April 6, 2020.

  • Employers must grant employees who are eligible for Parental Bereavement Leave a minimum of two weeks' leave.

  • The leave can be taken as a single block of two weeks or as two separate blocks of one week each, taken at different times within 56 weeks of the child's death.

  • Employees must provide their employer with a written notice of their intention to take Parental Bereavement Leave, including the date on which they intend to start the leave and the length of the leave they require.

  • Employers are entitled to request a copy of the employee's Child Bereavement Certificate, or a declaration signed by the employee and their partner, as proof of their eligibility for Parental Bereavement Leave.

  • Employers should respond to the employee's request for Parental Bereavement Leave in writing, confirming the dates of the leave and the employee's entitlement to take the leave.

  • If an employee wishes to take Parental Bereavement Leave at short notice, the employer may not be able to insist on the usual notice requirements and should consider the employee's circumstances and individual needs.

  • Employers must not treat employees unfairly or discriminate against them as a result of their taking Parental Bereavement Leave.


Other territories

Consult your jurisdiction's employment legislation or labor laws to ensure compliance with the template. Review the language for local precision.

Parental bereavement leave confirmation [Delete this line]

[Company name]

[Sender address]

 

[date]

[Recipient name]

[Recipient address]

 

Dear [Recipient first name],

 

Confirmation of parental bereavement leave

We are deeply sorry for your loss and are thinking of you. We would like to convey our heartfelt sympathies once more [to you and your [wife/husband/partner]].

Following our discussion on [date], I thought it would be useful if I clarified the specifics of your parental bereavement leave and let you know what further assistance we can provide you.

EITHER

[You informed us that you will be taking [one week/two weeks] of parental bereavement leave. Your leave is valid from [date] until [date].

OR

[You left work during the day on [date], thus your [one week/two weeks'] parental bereavement leave begins the next day. Your leave is valid from [date] until [date].]

You will be paid [statutory parental bereavement pay at the rate of £[amount] per week] throughout your parental bereavement leave/[you will be paid at your usual full salary].

[You are taking one week of parental bereavement leave, but please keep in mind that you are eligible to a second week if you find this useful later on. You may take the second week of leave between now and [date that is 56 weeks after the child's death].]

[As you are aware, we provide a fully confidential counselling service to workers. If you'd like to talk with a trained counsellor, please call [number]. Employees can use the service for both work-related and non-work-related situations.

In due course, we may explore any additional steps we could take to assist you in making your return to work easier at this difficult period. This might involve returning to work on reduced hours at first, or working from home for a while before returning to the office. We can also talk about what you would like your colleagues to be aware of.

Please contact me at any time if you have any questions, wish to discuss any of the above, or would simply like to explore any additional ways in which we may assist you.

Yours [faithfully | sincerely],

 

 

[Sender name]

[Sender job title]

[Sender telephone]
[Sender email]

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Parental bereavement leave confirmation letter template
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