What if your uncle died and you cant make the funeral can you still get your bereavment time?

Answer 1

I'm not precisely certain in what context you're asking this question. If a loved one has passed away and you're unable to attend the funeral, many people still celebrate their loved one's life at a similar time. If you're a person of faith, you may wish to celebrate through reflection and prayer at your local parish church.

If you are not a person of faith, but possibly a spiritual person, you can set aside time from your day where you turn off the mobile phone, not answer the door and light a candle - candles reaffirm life, and read a selection of either your or your loved one's favourite passages or poems.

If you're Anglo/Catholic, you may request a private Mass from your local priest. Sharing the Eucharist affirms life and the faith one holds in the new life to come.

Alternatively, if you're referring only to 'visitation,' where you come to a funeral home or facility to view your uncle, the laws and customs vary from country to country. In the United Kingdom, the right of visitation on viewing remains with the next of kin - that being the one who has signed the contract for the funeral. However, in many circumstances, provided your family is close, it may take as little as a phone call for the funeral service to arrange a private time for viewing. It can be challenging for the funeral director as there may be numerous other funerals and services taking place, where all the chapels or viewing rooms are occupied. Additionally, a number of funeral directors do not do 'casketing' (placing the loved one into the coffin), until just before the scheduled wake or funeral. This is to ensure preservation and protection to the often very expensive coffins. Therefore, it may not be possible for those reasons.

If in doubt, first ask. Go directly to the head of household and ask whether they mind. With their permission, then either they may contact or you may contact the funeral director, explaining the challenge you're facing over not being able to attend the funeral, and ask whether they could arrange fifteen minutes for you to be with your Uncle. Do not be upset if they agree but state that they must remain in the room with you. This is for legal reasons and should not be thought of as being disrespectful to you.

Finally, it may be that the head of family either decided to, or were advised to not provide an open coffin for any wake or funeral. There are many reasons why this is best for families, ranging from physiological changes to the body, trauma, or certain illnesses which required radioactive therapies.