Workers in Colombia Can Get Paid Leave to Grieve Loss of Pet If This Bill Passes

New legislation is being considered in Colombia where workers could get two days of paid leave to grieve the loss of their pets. Liberal Party congressman Alejandro Carlos Chacon introduced the bill in the country’s House of Representatives on Thursday, September 16, according to Spanish news outlet El Tiempo. "Some people do not have children but they do have a much-loved pet with which they develop a deep brotherly bond," he reportedly explained. The 48-year-old politician added, "...There exists a familial relation not only between humans but also a degree of 'multispecies' familiarity." 

He also noted that "6 out of 10 Colombian households have a domestic animal" and members of the family experience "considerable emotional effects" when they lose their four-legged companion, according to New York Post. Chacon hopes that the proposed paid leave would help people "overcome their grief and pain of losing these beloved animals without being preoccupied by their jobs." But the proposed measure also comes with some restrictions. Workers who own an "exotic" or pet would not qualify for bereavement if those pets died. Although the bill did not specify which animals will be considered pets, it described a pet as an animal with which the owner has a "strong sentimental bond."

Employees will only have access to these paid leaves if their employers are aware of the pet's existence before their death. They would also have to provide proper evidence of the pet's passing. If anyone is caught lying about their pet's demise and wrongly taking advantage of the law, they would face penalties in the form of fines. Per the bill, workers are required to inform their employers about their pet at the beginning of their employment or no more than two days after getting one. To become a law, the bill would have to pass through four debates in the Senate and the House of Representatives. 

Back in 2019, a woman from Glasgow was forced to start a campaign advocating pet bereavement leave after she was fired from her job. Emma McNulty was extremely upset the day her terrier Millie passed away in August that year. Thus, she decided not to go to work, claiming she was physically sick with grief. What she didn't expect was her employer's stern response. She was asked to find someone who could cover her shift on her behalf or risk losing the job. According to BBC, McNulty worked part-time at a sandwich shop that ended up terminating her from the position. 

For McNulty, the loss of Millie was equivalent to "losing a member of the family." She couldn't believe that her employer expected her to find someone to cover for her on the day she lost her beloved pet. "I was sacked on the same day as I lost my dog," she wrote on a change.org petition. "Millie was 14 and I am 18, so I don't remember a time when she wasn't part of my life. We did everything together. I was so close to her and she was my best pal. She became ill on Saturday night and we had to have her put to sleep on Sunday. I was devastated, distraught, and physically sick. I thought my employer would show a bit of compassion. Instead, I was told to find cover and that if I didn't come in I would risk dismissal."

"When I told them I couldn't find a replacement I was told not to show up for any other shifts and that the boss would be in touch," she added. Per arbitration service Acas, "Grief impacts on the emotional, physical, spiritual and psychological well-being of the person who is bereaved...Bereavement in the workplace can be challenging to manage: employees may need to take time off unexpectedly; find their performance is impacted, or be temporarily unable to perform certain roles. However, a compassionate and supportive approach demonstrates that the organization values its employees, helps build commitment, reduce sickness absence, and retain the workforce."

A spokesman for Acas noted that "Bereavement is a very personal issue and can affect different people in different ways. Pets are not specifically mentioned within workplace bereavement legislation but the death of a beloved pet can impact a worker's mental health and a good employer should be sensitive and mindful of their employees' wellbeing."

References:

https://nypost.com/2021/09/22/colombian-workers-could-get-paid-leave-to-grieve-dead-pets/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPTwitter&utm_medium=SocialFlow

https://www.eltiempo.com/vida/mascotas/licencia-por-muerte-de-mascotas-un-tiempo-necesario-para-el-duelo-619844

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-49346408

Representative cover image source: Getty | Photo by Catherine Falls Commercial