The Ministry of Labor has reached an agreement with unions to extend leave for bereavement and palliative care.

BarcelonaThe Secretary of State for Labor, Joaquín Pérez Rey, has reached an agreement with the CCOO and UGT unions to begin processing the increase in leave days for the death of a family member and for a new leave for palliative care. This measure will not have the support of employers' associations after the Ministry of Labor handed it over to the CeEO (Spanish Confederation of Employers' Organizations) at the beginning of the month to finalize negotiations. Following the meeting convened this Monday by the Ministry of Labor, Pérez Rey thanked the unions for "rising to the occasion" by increasing the leave for the death of a family member to 10 days and the new leave for palliative care to 15 days. "It's a shame that the Spanish employers' association isn't part of this agreement. It's incomprehensible. They should explain to the employers and workers of this country why they have excluded themselves from a regulation that puts our country in line with the rest of Europe and how they can show such a high degree of insensitivity," he stated. However, he asserted that this is no less important agreement. "The fact that the employers' association isn't involved doesn't diminish its importance," he affirmed. In this regard, the Secretary of State asked the Spanish employers' association to focus on improving the well-being of companies and workers in the country, instead of persecuting sick workers. "We shouldn't persecute those who get sick; what we need to prevent is workers getting sick. And do you know how workers get sick? Precisely when they have to return to their jobs two days after a child dies," he added. The Ministry of Labor wants to extend bereavement leave for the death of a spouse, partner, or relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity to 10 days, which can be taken up to four weeks after the death, either consecutively or intermittently. It also proposes granting up to 15 days for the new bereavement leave for relatives up to the second degree of consanguinity. Furthermore, the Royal Decree that the Ministry of Labor intends to promote includes the incorporation of a one-day leave to accompany a person receiving euthanasia. This leave will be available to any worker designated as the companion, regardless of whether or not there is a family relationship.