When an employee loses a loved one, they need time away from work. Regardless of their position in the company, a staff member mourning the death of a family member or friend requires assistance and support from their employer. A bereavement leave policy can help both an employer and employee take steps to mitigate the pressure of work duties in the wake of grieving and making arrangements to honor the deceased.
In this article, we explain the functions of a bereavement leave policy, share how you can create one for a company and offer a template to help you craft a document for the workplace.
What is bereavement leave?
Bereavement leave is the time away from work granted by an employer to an employee who has suffered the loss of a loved one. While bereavement leave can cover immediate family members, extended family and close friends, individual policies may be varied as to what constitutes a bereavement loss under formal policies.
Companies traditionally base the amount of leave time on the closeness of a relative. Bereavement leave typically includes more time off for the loss of an immediate family member such as a spouse, child or parent. However, this can vary greatly between employers, HR policies and the individual situation of a staff member. Some HR professionals suggest including bereavement time for extended family, friends and the loss of a child through miscarriage.
Bereavement leave usually includes some paid time off for the employee as they take time to grieve, manage the affairs of the departed loved one and attend funeral services. Although paid leave is not required by federal or state government regulations, many companies offer three to five days fully paid for standard bereavement leave. A lot of companies also offer employees the ability to extend leave for up to two weeks of either paid or unpaid time off.
