In Malta, paid bereavement leave depends on the applicable Wage Regulation Order. Where an employee’s work is not covered by a W.R.O., DIER says one working day is allowed for the death of specified close relatives.
Use this template to notify your manager or HR team about a death in the family and request bereavement leave. Keep the message concise, share only necessary personal details, and ask HR to confirm the applicable entitlement.
Important note:
DIER lists a wife or husband, mother, father, son, daughter, brother or sister among the relatives covered by ordinary bereavement leave. The duration depends on the applicable Wage Regulation Order; where none applies, the minimum is one working day. Separately, from 1 January 2026, a working parent is entitled to seven working days of special parental bereavement leave after the death of a child under 18. The employer covers the first one or two days depending on the sector, and the Department for Social Security funds the remaining days up to seven. Notify the employer and check DIER guidance for the procedure.
What to include in the letter
- Notify your employer as soon as you reasonably can.
- State the relationship to the deceased and the dates you expect to be absent.
- Ask HR to confirm the correct paid-leave entitlement under your sector’s Wage Regulation Order or employment terms.
- Offer supporting documentation if it is required by the employer’s procedure.
Generate your request
Complete the fields to prepare a request you can copy, download as a Word-compatible file, or print to PDF.
Does every employee receive the same number of days?
- No. DIER explains that the entitlement may vary under the Wage Regulation Order applicable to the industry. In activities not regulated by a W.R.O., the minimum special-leave rules provide one working day for the specified close relatives.
- If your circumstances concern the death of a child under 18, review DIER’s separate special parental bereavement leave guidance rather than relying only on the ordinary bereavement rule.
- For the death of a child under 18, DIER recognises a separate seven-working-day special parental bereavement leave entitlement from 1 January 2026. Its funding and procedure differ from ordinary bereavement leave.
How to submit the request
- Send the letter to your line manager or HR using the channel required by your workplace.
- Use exact dates where possible. If arrangements are uncertain, say so and update your employer when you know more.
- Keep a copy of the request and the employer’s response.
FAQ
Official sources and further information
Create your request
Prepare a clear, professional leave request in a few steps.
Use the request generatorLeaveDraft generatorSummary
Check your contract, collective agreement and applicable law before relying on a leave entitlement.