Hundreds of West Mids employees can't afford to take time off work when mourning
More people are going to a bereavement service here due to Covid
Last updated 28th Sep 2021
Hundreds of people across the West Midlands who have lost a loved one can't afford to take time off work to mourn, a survey from Marie Curie has reported.
The survey shows that 49% of employees that had experienced bereavement last year were forced to return to work before they were ready due to financial pressures.
The survey of 1,000 employees also found that 19% of people received no paid leave when mourning, despite it being additional to their normal leave pay.
More than half of those surveyed admitted that they worried over keeping their job when having to take time off due to bereavement.
A West Midlands based hospice that is in place to help people deal with loss has seen an increase in number of admissions due to losing close friends and family to Covid.
Jane Murray, manager at the Marie Curie Charity Hospice in Solihull, said that people are having to return to work before they are emotionally ready:
"This may be because they don’t get paid for taking time off, they have to take any leave as annual leave or sick leave. Unpaid leave is very common.
So even when they feel that they need that time off because of their emotional wellbeing, financial pressures win."
She also said that for some people going to work can be a positive distraction:
"Having the framework of going to work can have a positive affect on people. Work is familiar, even if you don’t like it. It gives you structure to your day and it’s a distraction.
But, when you get to your work, if you feel unsupported by your manager, that makes the work place lonely and isolating."