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GUIDE · EMPLOYEE RIGHTS

Bereavement leave in Romania — how many paid days, and how to claim them

If you work in Romania and lose a close relative, you're entitled to paid days off — separate from your annual leave. The standard: 3 working days for the death of a spouse, child, parent, or parent-in-law, and 1 day for a grandparent or sibling. The right itself is guaranteed by Article 152 of the Romanian Labour Code; the exact number of days comes from your collective labour agreement or the company's internal rules, and from Government Decision 250/1992 in the public sector. This guide covers who gets what, the paperwork, and what to do if your employer says no. If your family is abroad and you're flying in for the funeral, the same rules apply to your Romanian employment.

Updated: June 10, 20261,100 wordsReviewed by Andrei
Office calendar with a thin black ribbon and pen — bereavement leave from the employer
Illustrative image for the guide above.

How many days, for which relative

The count follows the degree of kinship. First-degree relatives — spouse, children, parents — plus parents-in-law: 3 paid working days. Second-degree relatives — grandparents, brothers, sisters: typically 1 paid working day.

These figures are written into law for the public sector (Government Decision 250/1992) and mirrored by most private employers in their internal regulations or collective agreements. Some companies give more; less than the applicable collective agreement is not allowed.

Article 152, Romanian Labour Code — paid leave for special family events

What the law actually says

Article 152(1) of the Labour Code: for special family events, employees are entitled to paid days off that do not count against annual leave. Paragraph (2) says the events and the number of days are set by law, by the applicable collective labour agreement, or by internal regulations.

Two practical consequences. One: the right itself can't be refused — your employer decides how many days, not whether. Two: the days are fully paid and your holiday allowance stays untouched.

The days are working days, taken around the event

Bereavement days are working days. If the funeral falls on a Saturday, you don't lose the entitlement — it covers the working days around the event.

They're normally taken immediately: the day of death, the wake, the funeral itself. Some internal regulations allow a short deferral — say, for a trip to another county a week later. Ask HR before assuming either way.

If you need more than 3 days

Three days is rarely enough to organize a funeral — especially from another city or another country. Your options: annual leave days, unpaid leave (Article 153 of the Labour Code), or remote-work arrangements if your employer allows them.

This is also where we come in: we take over the paperwork, transport, and ceremony coordination, so the days you do have go to your family — not to queues at government counters.

If your employer refuses

Refusing bereavement leave for a first-degree relative breaches Article 152 and the applicable collective agreement. Ask for the refusal in writing, quote the article and the internal regulations, and if nothing changes, file a complaint with the Territorial Labour Inspectorate (ITM) for your county.

Disciplinary action for missing work on the day of a close relative's funeral, with a properly filed request, does not survive in court.

STEP BY STEP

Steps summary

  1. 01

    Tell your employer immediately

    Phone or e-mail on the day of the death, or the next day at the latest. Don't wait until after the funeral.

  2. 02

    File a short written request

    A simple request to HR: the event, your relationship to the deceased, the days you're asking for.

  3. 03

    Attach the death certificate

    A plain copy. If it hasn't been issued yet, note that you'll bring it within a few days — standard practice accepts that.

  4. 04

    Bring the final document

    Once the Civil Status office issues the death certificate, give HR a copy for the file. That keeps the days paid and properly recorded.

OFFICIAL SOURCES

Information verified with

FREQUENT QUESTIONS

What families ask most often

  • How many paid days off do I get when a parent dies in Romania?

    3 paid working days — parents are first-degree relatives. The same applies for a spouse, a child, and parents-in-law. The days don't come out of your annual leave.

  • Do I get bereavement leave for a grandparent or sibling?

    Yes — typically 1 paid working day for second-degree relatives (grandparents, brothers, sisters). Some collective agreements grant more; check your company's internal rules.

  • Is Romanian bereavement leave fully paid?

    Yes. These are paid days off, separate from annual leave, with full salary for the days in question. Legal basis: Article 152 of the Romanian Labour Code.

  • I work abroad but my relative died in Romania. Does this apply to me?

    Bereavement leave follows your employment law, not the place of death. If you work under a Romanian contract, Article 152 applies. If you work abroad, check your local rules — most EU countries have a similar entitlement. Either way, we can handle the funeral arrangements in Romania while you travel.

  • What if my employer refuses the days?

    Ask for the refusal in writing, quote Article 152 and your internal regulations, then complain to the Territorial Labour Inspectorate (ITM). The right itself cannot be denied for close family.

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TABLE · DAYS PER RELATIVE

How many days, for each relative — the reference table

The standard values, mirrored by most employers. Check your internal regulations — they can grant more, never less than the applicable collective agreement.

Deceased relativeDegree of kinshipPaid days off
Spouse1st degree3 working days
Child1st degree3 working days
Parent1st degree3 working days
Parent-in-law1st degree (affinity)3 working days
Grandparent2nd degree1 working day
Sibling2nd degree1 working day
Other relatives (uncles, cousins)3rd degree+Not mandated — per internal rules
Paid bereavement days by degree of kinship. Basis: Art. 152 Labour Code + GD 250/1992 (public sector); in private companies, the collective agreement or internal rules.
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