Julien Moreau and AFP / Photo credit: JOEL SAGET / AFP 20:15 p.m., April 25, 2023

In France, the duration of leave in the event of the death of a relative is set at three days, whereas it is higher in other European countries such as Germany and Sweden, where the duration can be up to ten days. Senator LR Stéphane Le Rudulier wants this duration to be extended from three to five days in France.

Senator LR Stéphane Le Rudulier has tabled a bill to "increase to five days, instead of three, the minimum period of leave for employees in the event of death" of a close relative. "If there is no collective agreement, the law only gives the employee three days, which is very little when we look at the wall of administrative procedures" to be carried out after a death, explained Tuesday the senator of Bouches-du-Rhône in Europe 1 Midi.

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"Three days is far from enough"

"Why five days? Because we have a multitude of administrative procedures to manage that fall on us, including an improbable tour of undertakers who each make you a quote. The organization of the funeral itself, the religious or civil ceremony, death certificates, taxes," he added.

"And you are in a state of shock with the announcement of the death of your parents. And I think three days is far from enough. Because when we look at the number of sick leaves, which have been estimated at 700 million euros each year following the death of a parent, it clearly means that the response is not up to the pain," he concluded on Europe 1.

"The view of society on death was somewhat, a taboo subject" @slerudulier, senator LR of Bouches-du-Rhône pleads to extend the leave for mourning from 3 to 5 days in #Europe1Midipic.twitter.com/sdqJ3Bk4Lo

— Europe 1 (@Europe1) April 25, 2023

Stressing that elsewhere in Europe, the legislation provides for "up to four, five or even ten days" of leave "especially in Germany or Sweden", Stéphane Le Rudulier tabled mid-April this text which concerns the death of "a spouse, a partner bound by a civil pact of solidarity, a cohabitant, a parent, a step-parent, a brother or sister". The bill also wants to grant an additional day off "specifically for the day of the funeral". "We think a lot about the end of life, but there is nothing for those who remain," said Stéphane Le Rudulier.

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A totally transpartisan approach

The senator is hopeful with this "totally transpartisan" approach to gather a majority, his text having already collected nearly 70 signatures "from different groups". "This type of PPL (bill) brings an improvement to daily life at a time when society is fractured and when additional efforts are required from the French," he added, convinced that the measure he proposes meets "a broad consensus among the population".