New bill would give workers 10 days of bereavement if they lose a loved one to gun violence
Salamanca said parents, siblings, spouses, children and grandchildren would qualify under the bill.
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A new proposed bill would give workers 10 paid time off if they lose a loved one to a shooting.
The legislation is in the early stages, but those leading the effort said it is two years in the making and would be a major win for grieving families.
“Families shouldn’t have to worry about their work, their wages during their time of grief like this,” said Melody Jimenez, CEO of No Voice Unheard, an organization that helps families who lose loved ones to gun violence.
Jimenez said bereavement can be a burden, forcing families to use sick time, vacation or personal days from work.
“It does take time for funeral arrangements,” Jimenez said. “Even the process of acknowledging that your child is gone, that may take a couple of days for you to fully grasp, to contact the funeral home.”
Jimenez inspired the new legislation, which Bronx Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr. introduced last week.
“The reality is that when we lose a loved one, 10 days, a month, two months is not enough time to mourn a loved one,” Salamanca said. “But what we want to do in the bill is to ensure that family members have adequate time to make the arrangements and also do not lose that pay from their employer.”
Salamanca said parents, siblings, spouses, children and grandchildren would qualify under the bill.
“This is a step forward,” Jimenez said. “We’re acknowledging your pain; we’re acknowledging your grief, and we’re here for you as a community.”
Salamanca said he hopes to get cosponsors and make revisions to help families impacted by other forms of violence. He said he hopes to have the bill passed by the end of the year.
Learn more about the bill on the City Council website.
