Bereavement leave

What is bereavement leave?

Bereavement leave is time off work after the death of a family member or someone close, used to arrange and attend the funeral, deal with practical matters and grieve. It is also called compassionate leave or grief leave. It can be paid or unpaid, and it is one of the leave types most companies define in their policy.

What the law says

How many days do companies give?

Most company policies give 3 to 5 paid days for immediate family (spouse or partner, child, parent, sibling) and 1 to 3 days for extended family. Many add extra days when the funeral is far away or abroad.

What to put in a bereavement leave policy

• Who counts as family, including partners, step-relatives and in-laws.
• How many days for each relationship, and whether they must be taken in a row.
• Pay: paid or unpaid, and whether extra days come from vacation.
• Travel days for funerals in another city or country.
• Evidence: whether a death certificate or funeral notice is required.
• Return to work: a lighter first week, flexible hours or remote work.

Bereavement leave in PeopleForce

In leave tracking you set up bereavement leave as its own leave type with a policy: paid or unpaid, working or calendar days, and an optional required attachment. Requests go through the approval chain, the substitution rule assigns cover for the person's work, and the balance is visible to the employee and to HR.

FAQ

What do you call leave when someone dies?

It is called bereavement leave, also known as compassionate leave or grief leave.

Is bereavement leave paid?

It depends on the country and the company. In the US it is up to the employer in most states. Most company policies offer a few paid days for close family.

Can an employer ask for proof?

Yes, if the policy says so. A death certificate, an obituary or a funeral notice is usually enough.