Bereavement leave calculator
Find out which day you go back to work after a death in the family. The law only says "consecutive days", so we show both official counts: the Supreme Court one and the ACT one.
The day the person died, even if it was a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.
You are entitled to
5 consecutive days
Supreme Court reading
Calendar days in a row, weekends and holidays included
Back at work on
Friday, 6 November 2026
Last day of leave: Thursday, 5 November 2026
Working days you miss: 4
- Sun 01/11
- Mon 02/11
- Tue 03/11
- Wed 04/11
- Thu 05/11
ACT reading
Only the days you would have worked count
Back at work on
Monday, 9 November 2026
Last day of leave: Friday, 6 November 2026
Working days you miss: 5
- Mon 02/11
- Tue 03/11
- Wed 04/11
- Thu 05/11
- Fri 06/11
The ACT reading gives you 1 more working day off. It is the more favourable one for you.
Public holidays in between: Sun 01/11 (All Saints' Day)
The law only says "consecutive days" and both readings are official. The safest step is to agree your return date with your employer in writing. An email is enough.
How the count works
You are entitled to 20, 5 or 2 consecutive days, depending on the relative (Art. 251(1) of the Labour Code). The absence is justified and you keep your pay.
- Supreme Court: the days run in a row on the calendar, from the day of death. Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays count.
- ACT: rest days and public holidays in between do not count, because there is no absence on those days (Art. 248(1)). If the death happens on a rest day, the count starts on the next working day.
- Return date: the first working day after the last day of leave.
The calculator uses the 13 mandatory public holidays (Art. 234(1)). Carnival Tuesday and the municipal holiday are only days off if your collective agreement or contract says so.
Frequently asked questions
Do bereavement days in Portugal include weekends and public holidays?
It depends on who you read. The law only says "consecutive days" (Art. 251(1) of the Labour Code). The ACT, in Technical Note 7, says rest days and public holidays in between do not count. The Supreme Court of Justice, in its ruling of 25/06/2025 (case 8957/23.7T8LSB.L2.S1), decided they are calendar days in a row. The calculator shows both counts.
My mother-in-law died on a Saturday. When do I go back?
For parents-in-law you get 5 consecutive days (Art. 251(1)(b)). If you work Monday to Friday, on the Supreme Court count the days are Saturday to Wednesday and you go back on Thursday. On the ACT count, Saturday and Sunday do not count: you are off Monday to Friday and go back the following Monday.
When does the first day start?
The ACT says the count starts on the day of death. If the death happens after you have finished your working hours that day, the first day is the next day. Tick that option in the calculator.
Which count should I use?
The ACT count gives you more working days off. The Supreme Court count is the one a court is likely to follow. The safest step is to agree your return date with your employer in writing before you stay at home.
Read next
This calculator is an estimate based on Art. 251 of the Portuguese Labour Code and the two official readings (ACT and Supreme Court of Justice). Your sector's collective agreement may have its own rules. Always agree your return date with your employer in writing.