Compassionate leave, also known as nghỉ phép hiếu hỉ, is a type of leave that employees are allowed to use when facing serious personal circumstances, such as the death of a loved one or when a loved one is seriously ill. This is a period of time for employees to be able to deal with family and psychological matters without having to worry about work.

Compassionate Leave vs. Bereavement Leave

Although both compassionate leave and bereavement leave are related to personal circumstances, there is a distinction. Bereavement leave is granted specifically when an employee needs time off due to the death of a loved one, often with specific requirements regarding the relationship between the employee and the deceased. Compassionate leave, on the other hand, covers a wider range of situations beyond bereavement, including personal health issues and emotional recovery.

Regulations on Compassionate Leave in the Labor Code

According to Vietnam's Labor Code 2019, employees are entitled to paid leave in the following cases:

• Marriage: Employees are entitled to 3 days off.
• Child's marriage: Employees are entitled to 1 day off.
• Death of a parent (including in-laws), spouse, or child: Employees are entitled to 3 days off.

Conditions and Procedures for Compassionate Leave

Prior notice: Employees must inform their employer in advance of taking compassionate leave.

Necessary documents: In some cases, the employer may require the employee to provide a certificate or related documents to confirm the reason for leave (such as a marriage certificate, death certificate).

Specific Regulations

• Marriage leave: When an employee gets married, they are entitled to 3 working days off with full pay.
• Leave for a child's marriage: When an employee's child gets married, they are entitled to 1 working day off with full pay.
• Leave for the death of a relative: When an employee's parent (including in-laws), spouse, or child dies, they are entitled to 3 working days off with full pay.

Benefits of Compassionate Leave

• Mental support: Compassionate leave gives employees time to deal with family and psychological matters, ensuring they can return to work with a better state of mind.
• Protection of rights: The clear regulations on compassionate leave in the law help protect the rights of employees, ensuring they do not lose income during their leave.