If someone close to you dies, the law gives you paid time off to grieve and sort things out. In New Zealand that's bereavement leave. Here's how much you get, who it covers and how it's paid.
How much bereavement leave do you get?
| Situation | Paid leave |
|---|---|
| Death of someone in your immediate family | 3 days |
| Your miscarriage or stillbirth | 3 days |
| Your partner's miscarriage or stillbirth | 3 days |
| Death of anyone else, if your employer accepts you've had a bereavement | 1 day |
These are minimums. Your employer can give you more, and some employment agreements do.
Who counts as immediate family?
Employment New Zealand lists these people:
- your partner or spouse
- your parent
- your child
- your brother or sister
- your grandparent
- your grandchild
- your parent-in-law.
For anyone else, such as an aunt, a cousin or a close friend, you get 1 day if your employer accepts you've had a bereavement. When deciding, your employer must think about:
- how close you were to the person who died
- whether you have to arrange the funeral or other ceremonies
- any cultural responsibilities you have in relation to the death.
Miscarriage and stillbirth
You get 3 days of bereavement leave if you have a miscarriage or stillbirth. Your partner gets 3 days too. That includes a former partner who would have been a biological parent of the child, and someone who had agreed to be the child's primary carer.
When you qualify
Bereavement leave uses the same starting point as sick leave. You qualify once you have either:
- 6 months' current continuous employment with the same employer, or
- worked for the same employer for 6 months, averaging at least 10 hours a week, and at least 1 hour in every week or 40 hours in every month.
Your entitlement then renews every 12 months.
How bereavement leave is paid
You're paid for a bereavement day if it's a day you would have worked. The pay is your relevant daily pay, which is what you'd have earned that day. In some cases your employer uses your average daily pay instead. It's paid in your normal pay cycle.
Bereavement leave is a separate entitlement. It doesn't come out of your annual leave or your sick leave.
When you can take it
You can take bereavement leave at any time and for any purpose to do with the bereavement. It doesn't have to be straight away, and the days don't have to be in a row. You might take one day after the death and two more for the funeral or an unveiling later on.
If someone dies while you're on annual holidays, you can take bereavement leave for those days instead of using up your holidays.
The law doesn't require you to prove the death. Both you and your employer are expected to act in good faith.
What's changing in 2028
The Employment Leave Act 2026 will replace the Holidays Act 2003 on 6 August 2028. Employment New Zealand says it will change how leave is earned, taken and paid, including bereavement leave. It isn't in force yet, so everything on this page still applies today.
Common questions
How many days of bereavement leave do you get in NZ?
3 paid days when someone in your immediate family dies, or for a miscarriage or stillbirth. 1 paid day for anyone else, if your employer accepts you've had a bereavement.
Do I get bereavement leave for an aunt, uncle or cousin?
Not 3 days by law, because they aren't on the immediate family list. You can get 1 day if your employer accepts you've had a bereavement, based on how close you were, any funeral arrangements you're responsible for, and your cultural responsibilities.
Do I get bereavement leave in my first six months?
Not by law. Your employment agreement might give you some, and your employer can always agree to more.
Do the days have to be taken together?
No. You can take them at any time and on separate days, as long as they relate to the bereavement.
Does my employer need a death notice or certificate?
The law doesn't require proof. You and your employer are expected to deal with each other in good faith.
Sources: Employment New Zealand, Bereavement leave, Taking bereavement leave and Employment Leave Act 2026. Checked October 2026. General information, not legal advice.