Bereavement Leave Policy Template

Our Bereavement Policy

What is Bereavement Leave?

Bereavement leave (AKA compassion leave) is time off that is specifically used for the purpose of making funeral arrangements, attending a funeral, or mourning the death of a loved one.

Why We Have a Bereavement Policy

At [Company Name], we are committed to supporting our employees and providing them with the resources and support they need during times of loss and grief. We understand that the death of a loved one can be a difficult and challenging time, and we are committed to providing our employees with the time and space they need to grieve and to take care of their personal and family needs. Losing a loved one can be a traumatizing experience. If this happens to you while you work with us, we want to support you and give you time to cope and mourn.

Our Bereavement Policy

Our bereavement policy provides paid time off to employees who are grieving the death of a loved one. The specific details of the policy are as follows:

1. Employees are eligible for bereavement leave upon the death of a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, or other immediate family member.
2. Employees are entitled to up to 3 days of paid bereavement leave for the death of an immediate family member and up to 1 day of paid bereavement leave for the death of an extended family member.
3. Employees must notify their manager or supervisor as soon as possible upon the death of a loved one and must provide documentation of the death, if requested.
4. Employees who take bereavement leave are expected to return to work at the end of their leave, unless otherwise agreed upon with their manager or supervisor.

You may take your bereavement leave on consecutive days to:

• Arrange a funeral or memorial service.
• Attend a funeral or memorial service.
• Resolve matters of inheritance.
• Fulfill other family obligations.
• Mourn.

If you have to travel long-distance for a funeral or service, you can take 2 additional unpaid days off. If you require more time, please use your PTO.

We are committed to supporting our employees during times of loss and grief, and we believe that our bereavement policy is a valuable resource for our employees and their families.

How to Request Bereavement Leave

Let your manager know as soon as possible if you need to take time off to pay your respects to a loved one. You can do this by email to your manager or via our HR software.

Depending on where the service is happening, we may need more information about your travel plans so we can allocate more time off as necessary.

Managers: If an employee has lost a loved one, you are expected and required to treat them with respect and compassion. This means handling their time off requests appropriately. If you do not approve bereavement leave for any reason, you may be subject to disciplinary actions.