I'd ask for permission for almost any type of absence. I'd expect it to be more of a formality though, assuming you don't take an extended period of leave

"Apparently, my supervisor (who would simulate the "boss"/employer) is annoyed by the fact that I simply announced this, rather than asked for permission to be absent. " - your "supervisor" has a lot to learn before he enters the real working world. So do you. You should have "asked". He shouldn't be "annoyed". I give you both a C+, but there is still time to improve your grade. ;)

Culture is important here. Personally, I would never ask permission to be absent for a family bereavement, or for illness, or even for me to attend a medical appointment come to that. I'd tell my employer politely; but there'd be no ambiguity about the fact I'm telling them, not asking them.

Maybe your "supervisor" is just trying to add an element of realism to the roleplay by playing a character who is an officious little prick. It's good to get some practice dealing with those sorts of people, because you will inevitably encounter them.

There might also be a legal aspect here: in some countries, employees have the right for 'special leave', which would cover the day of death or the funeral of a close relative (whereby 'close' is defined by law). In this case, there's no need to ask for permission, just to inform the employer and (if possible) hand over urgent work.

It's hard to tell from your question, but if by "announced" you mean to the entire team at the same time as Boss, I can see how that would be annoying. A heads-up in private might be all that Boss is really after.

It would be worthwhile to add a country tag as that would affect the legal ramifications and what is protected. For instance in Canada/US you do not "Ask" you simply inform and take time off (similar to illness).

6 months ago my mother-in-law passed away very unexpectedly. I literally phoned my boss and said "I don't think I'm going to be in any state to work for a few days" and he said that it was no problem and they'd make a plan. I ended up taking just over a week off. Usually asking permission is polite, but in extreme cases like this, sometimes people aren't in the best place to be polite and most people would be understanding. I think you handled it fine.

Who down-voted? Whoever it was went straight down the line and downvoted almost all the answers

@RichardU The spam down voter bot will fix it.

@MisterPositive I don't think it works that way though. It only reverts serial downvotes, where the definition of "serial" is secret for obvious reasons. However, downvoting a question and all answers most certainly is not serial downvoting. Otherwise if you come across a s*** question with equally s*** answers, you couldn't do the right thing, which is to downvote the whole bunch (and then maybe some more, liking flagging and close-voting). Of course, that is certainly not the case with this question and the answers.

This depends on the culture but unless your in a fascist regime I am pretty certain that a death is taken as a significant loss with grievance, funeral rights; etc. making a huge impact on your work performance alone. Perhaps your supervisor did not listen closely to your announcement. The places I have worked in the US seem to find a death a good reason to move to an announcement as opposed to say a dentist's appointment. Most of the places I work only require you to ask when there is a major deadline though.

Is the supervisor another student, or is this your teacher/mentor?

"our current project is supposed to simulate real work experience" Note that in that case all advice we give here goes out of the window and you should do whatever your "supervisor" says and smile while doing it. I encountered a similar situation during a final project where I was absent for personal reasons that were not deemed a valid reason not to "call in" to my fellow students who then unfortunately had to browse reddit by themselves. That alone was enough to delay my graduation by a year because I had "lessons to learn on professionalism". Not that I'm bitter.

I'm pretty sure your supervisor/boss is roleplaying the PHB. Talk to him and see if that was his own reaction or how the "simulated boss" would react.

I'm sorry for your loss. This may not be the right time, but Scrum is not an acronym.

I also experienced a loss recently. At our weekly sales meeting I told everyone that I'd be taking some time off for my family & the funeral. In no way did I feel it necessary to ask permission from my director. If he had pulled me aside or informed me in front of others that I should have "asked", I would have told him to shove it. In situations like this you are most likely numb, so what you do & say are often outside the limits of your normal behavior and most will forgive a faux pas.. because it's not one.

As said, culture makes a big impact, here. However, in Australia, you would be able to report your supervisor for misconduct, in these sort of situations. You would usually go to the head of the class, or alternatively, the student ombudsman. Results could be a slap on the wrist all the way to suspension, depending on the further actions taken by the supervisor.

@JoeStrazzere: He should have "asked"? If you ask it sends the message that "no" is a potential option, i.e. the funeral is less important to you than something for which you wouldn't ask. Why would you ask? What's the benefit? Just to stroke their ego?

Depending on you location, it may be your right to take time off work to grieve and attend the funeral of a family member.

In the places I have lived/worked there's no need to "ask for permission" when a close relative dies. Work laws allow to have a day-off (or even more) depending of the relation (wife, parents, brothers, etc..) and if they were in the same location or far away. My parent died two years ago and I simply told my boss of the circumstance, and later on I gave a copy of the death certificate to HR. The same applies in case of illness, you don't have to ask for permission to get ill.. LOL... But you have to tell HR in advance of any absence of programmed or routine medical attendance.

@roetnig: You have to give a copy of the death certificate to HR?!

@JonathonCowley-Thom I have been the advisor in this setting. And I think it would have been immensely overstepping my assigned authority and tasks to try to teach "the world is unfair" in this way and setting. I have been the "annoyed customer" if deadlines were not met, but dragging in "real-life" like this is not in the scope of what is supposed to be taught. At all. And in any legal circumstances I have ever worked with, a student can never be forced to be anywhere, so in fact they legally do not need any permission for not participating.

This is a real-life funeral and a role-play software job? If your supervisor is your academic supervisor then the context of the role-play is irrelevant here - you're absent as a student, not an employee. If your supervisor is another student trying to maintain "character" while you're experiencing real-life issues, he is way out of line.

Casting aside that this is a simulation and looking at what happens in real life, then it depends on the circumstances. Remember that asking doesn't imply that you're prepared to take no for an answer: it just gives the impression that you're prepared to take no for an answer, which might be useful: sometimes people will say yes if you ask nicely, and no if you don't. There are probably some situations where you should accept that the responsibilities of the job come first. But David Cameron cancelled an important engagement to attend his father's funeral, and most of us can do the same.

@Mehrdad not the "legal" death certificate with cause of death, etc, but a paper from the hospital or the funeral house, to check the relation and the place of defunction or funeral services. In Spain (where I'm living now) you have statutory by law 2 days in case of death, serious illness or accident, hospitalization of relatives up to second grade by blood (parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren and siblings) or by affinity (spouse and inlaws). It goes to 4 days if you have to travel (and back) more than 600kms. You don't need to ask for permit, you just inform of the circumstances.

@Mehrdad - you call if "stroke their ego". I call it normal business etiquette.