MPs Push for Extended Bereavement Leave in Public Sector

TDT | Manama
Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Parliament is set to debate a proposal on Tuesday to grant public sector employees bereavement leave in the event of the death of a relative’s spouse, extending up to the fourth degree of kinship.

Currently, government employees are entitled to three days of leave for the loss of a close relative, but the law does not cover cases where the deceased is the spouse of a relative. The proposed amendment, supported by MPs Hanan Fardan, Dr. Hisham Al Ashiri, Hassan Bukhumas, Basma Mubarak, and Dr. Ali Majid Al Nuaimi, aims to address this gap.

MP Fardan argues that family bonds go beyond the existing bereavement leave framework and should be recognized. However, the Civil Service Bureau has expressed concerns about the financial impact and potential disruptions to government operations. Statistics show that 11,283 employees took bereavement leave between January and October of last year, and the bureau predicts an increase if the proposal is approved.

While the Financial and Economic Affairs Committee does not foresee a direct impact on the budget, it acknowledges that lost work hours could be a factor. Meanwhile, the Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee, which prepared the proposal, has endorsed it, stating that extending bereavement leave would ensure fairness.

A final decision will be made when Parliament meets on Tuesday.