As a team we are deeply saddened with the news yesterday about the passing of Queen Elizabeth and send our sincere condolences to her family. This is the first time in 70 years that there has been a death of a monarch and 70 years a go the world was a very different place so for many employers there are going to be questions.

What is National Mourning?

So for the next 10 days the nation is in a state of National Mourning. National Mourning is a series of official activities observed by the majority of a country’s population to mark the death of Queen Elizabeth. The government would declare it as such, and national broadcasters would make us all aware of the major events.

When will the Queens Funeral take Place?

This will take place in approx. 10 days time. At the moment the date has not been confirmed but it is speculated to be Monday 19th September 2022.

Will there be a Bank Holiday for the Queens Funeral?

While the funeral will take place on a designated day of national mourning, a nationwide bank holiday will not be granted. It is at the discretion of individual institutions and businesses to decide whether to close. As an employer you will need to make a decision on what you do but you do need to be mindful that Schools will most likely be closed so this may cause challenges for some of your team.

For nationwide closures to happen, like on a regular bank holiday, the government must request that businesses give employees the day off work. At this moment this has not been confirmed.

If there is no bank holiday you decide not to close then you may want to consider if your staff do want to be off on that day if they can take holiday or make the time up, or if they can work from home.

It is important that you make a decision and communicate what you are doing with your team as soon as there is confirmation of the funeral and if a Bank Holiday is or isn’t announced.

When will the Coronation of King Charles III take place?

Queen Elizabeth was not Coronated until over a year after her father died so at the moment there is no information about when this will held at the present and I am sure that this information will be announced after the funeral.

What if I have a member of staff who calls in sick because of the Queens Death?

Although most of us didn’t have the pleasure of meeting the Queen personally the fact that she has been the Queen for 70 years it is going to effect people in many different ways. A death of someone can be a trigger or bring up a lot of memories – if you have an EAP or Counselling service it would be good to remind staff about these benefits.

Contacting Us

If you need some HR support and are considering introducing some additional benefits in your organisation, get in touch with our friendly team of HR experts today. You can book a call with us using the button below at a time convenient to you or click here.

Book a Discovery Call