A grieving mother whose daughter died three years ago has launched a petition to extend New Zealand’s minimum bereavement leave from three days to 10.
Sheena Hemens’ daughter Lauren Hemens died in a car accident in 2023.
Grief and trauma kept the Christchurch mother from working for months, and she was forced to accept the financial burden as someone self-employed.
Under the Holidays Act 2003, the death of an immediate family member entitles a worker to three days’ leave.
Since then, Hemens has founded the Beyond Three Days campaign in memory of her daughter, aiming to extend the minimum bereavement entitlement from three days to 10.
“Our family lost a child; our children lost a sibling,” Hemens said.
“Any family in that situation needs more than just a long weekend to deal with the shock, organise the funeral and come to terms with their loss.
“Three days is nowhere near long enough to take into account what grief costs a person, medically, financially or emotionally, or how long it takes before they can function safely at work again.”
Lauren Hemens died in an accident in June 2023.
The petition has been launched as Parliament rewrites the country’s leave framework through the Employment Leave Bill, introduced in March 2026, which would replace the Holidays Act 2003.
“It modernises how leave is earned, paid and taken, yet leaves the three-day bereavement entitlement sitting exactly where it has been for more than 40 years,” Hemens said.
As a businesswoman and former employer, Hemens also understands that some businesses may be resistant to her petition.
“Many businesses already recognise that three days simply isn’t enough, and they support their staff for longer than the bare minimum because it’s the right thing to do,” she said.
“The risks to staff morale and loyalty, culture, staff retention and risk management can be much higher if they don’t support them.”
Hemens believes the current overhaul of existing leave laws creates an opportunity for the Government to match those overseas, such as in Britain, where parents who lose a child aged under 18 receive 10 days’ leave.
Portugal offers 20 days, France 14, and many others are between seven and 10 days.
“I’m not doing this for me,” Hemens said.
“I’m asking for a law that tells grieving New Zealanders that what happened to them matters, that they’re allowed to fall apart, and that their job will still be there when they can stand up again.
“All New Zealanders deserve better. Ten days sends the message, ‘you matter’.”
Titled “Increase the minimum bereavement leave entitlement to ten days”, the petition is open for signatures and closes on August 10.
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