Compassionate leave | Worker sacked over dead dog debacle

When a friend or relative of an employee dies, they are often encouraged by their employer to take off as much time as they need to come to terms with the grief. But, what happens when the death is a furry friend?

While this question will undoubtedly spark debate among dog-lovers and animal enthusiasts, several HR issues are highlighted in cases like these including bereavement policies and whether pets should be included in this. A recent story outlining some of these issues has gone viral.

An employee grieving over the loss of her dog has hit back against her employer who refused to give her a day off work and told her that “no bereavement time was allowed for pets” – The BBC reported.

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Should you allow staff time off when their pet dies?

Emma McNulty told bosses that she was too upset to work her shift following the death of her dog earlier that day.