What is bereavement?

Bereavement is the period of grief and loss your employees may experience when a loved one dies. The weeks after a death may be difficult and emotional, particularly for close relatives or friends. Grief can affect employees differently, including their ability to focus, manage responsibilities and return to their usual work routines.

Following a death, an employee may be responsible for making arrangements for funerals and other mourning ceremonies. They may also handle tasks such as notifying family and friends. Even if they’re not involved in planning, they may travel to attend end-of-life services.

A bereavement leave policy creates a process for taking days off work after a death. By creating a fair and transparent system, you can give employees the time they need to grieve.

Types of bereavement

While bereavement is often associated with death, feelings of grief and loss can also happen after other life events. Circumstances that could result in bereavement include:

• Ending a significant long-term relationship
• Suffering the death of a parent or child
• Experiencing the death of a pet
• Getting diagnosed with a long-term illness or disease
• Military or combat losses
• Reproductive loss events

Your company can define which circumstances qualify for bereavement leave and give employees flexibility in deciding when to use it.

Advantages of bereavement leave

Offering bereavement leave shows employees that you recognize and support their need for time away after a loss.

A bereavement leave policy can benefit both employees and your company by:

• Giving employees time to grieve after a death
• Supporting employees who need to attend services, travel or manage arrangements
• Reducing uncertainty about available leave options during a difficult time
• Helping managers handle bereavement leave requests consistently
• Making it easier to arrange work coverage during employee absences

What to include in a bereavement policy

When you’re writing a bereavement policy, it’s helpful to include specific details about:

• Calculating paid days off: You may decide to give different amounts of paid time off (PTO) for different types of losses.
• Exceeding allowed PTO: Explain the options available if employees request more time off than your bereavement policies allow. This might include taking unpaid time off.
• Requesting leave: Tell employees how to request time off for bereavement. Consider offering a digital option, such as a paid time off request form, so employees can request leave without discussing the details in person.
• Contacting the company: Provide the name or title of the person employees can contact with questions.

You can also use the policy to reassure employees that the company encourages bereavement leave. This can give employees the confidence to take time off when they need it.

Example bereavement policy

Once you have a policy in place, you can add it to your employee handbook or your internal website to make it easier for employees to access.

Here’s an example bereavement policy that you can use as a guide:

If you are affected by a loss, please talk to your manager or supervisor. The company is committed to supporting employees during the bereavement process. Your manager can answer any questions you may have about the bereavement leave policy.

Bereavement leave for an immediate family member

At the discretion of the company, full-time employees may take up to three (3) days off with pay. Part-time employees will receive prorated pay. The company may request verification of the need for bereavement leave.

Non-family member funeral leave

At the discretion of the company, full-time employees may take up to one (1) day off with pay to attend the funeral of a close, non-family member. Part-time employees will receive prorated pay. The company may request verification of the need for bereavement leave.

Additional bereavement leave

An additional unpaid leave of up to four (4) days may be granted following the death of an immediate family member. If the employee requires more time, any available vacation days may be used.

Employees are expected to follow the company guidelines for requesting leave and tracking time away from work.

Actions to take as a manager

Your managers can help employees who are affected by loss and grief by leading with empathy and compassion. Managers with well-developed emotional intelligence may feel more prepared to support grieving employees, but all managers can learn how to support their team members..

Here are some actions a manager can take to help employees through bereavement leave:

1. Offer sympathy. Express your genuine sympathy and support for the employee when they notify you of the situation.
2. Be discreet. Since grief is a personal matter, avoid discussing the situation with anyone other than a human resources (HR) representative. Let the employee decide which details they want to share and when. If another worker asks, you can simply say the grieving employee will be out of the office for a few days.
3. Understand company policies. Review the policies on bereavement leave, and discuss the options with the employee. In some cases, it may be possible for the employee to take unpaid leave, paid sick leave or vacation days if they need more time than bereavement leave covers.
4. Notify HR. Talk to the HR department about the employee’s leave, so they can complete necessary paperwork. When you notify HR, the employee can avoid explaining their situation again.
5. Discuss details. Check in with the employee about their circumstances and any information they want to share. It’s a good idea to try to remain flexible under changing circumstances.
6. Create a return-to-work plan. Determine how to help the employee return to work. Consider whether temporary flexibility, such as working from home, could help the employee transition back to work. A detailed return-to-work email can clarify the employee’s responsibilities and any arrangements for their return.