Force majeure is a legal term which means that some important and critical event has occurred, as a result, releasing the person directly affected from his or her legal obligations in a particular matter that would otherwise have applied.
It entitles an employee to a number of paid days leave, in order to deal with a family emergency arising from an unforeseen injury to or illness of an immediate family member, which requires the employee's immediate presence at their side.
Bereavement excluded
Force majeure leave specifically excludes bereavements - currently there is no statutory entitlement to paid time off resulting from a family bereavement. (However many companies would have a policy granting some leave in this regard.