Bereavement Leave Policy

AUDIENCE

All University employees.

PURPOSE STATEMENT

The purpose of this Policy is set forth expectations and guidelines for time off without loss of pay in the event of the death of an Immediate Family Member.

DEFINITIONS

Immediate Family: includes spouse, parents and grandparents, children and grandchildren, brothers and sisters, mother-in-law and father-in-law, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, daughters-in-law and sons-in-law.  Adopted and step members are also included in Immediate Family.  In addition, the definition includes any other individual whose relationship with the employee is similar to that of a relationship described herein.

THE POLICY

Should a death occur in an employee’s Immediate Family, the employee will be paid for work missed for up to 3 consecutive calendar days to make necessary arrangements and to attend the funeral. 

For other family members or friends, employees will be paid for up to 7.5 hours of time off per instance to attend a funeral, not to exceed 15 hours per calendar year. 

Proper documentation, such as an obituary, must be provided upon request.

No payment will be made for any time already paid under another benefit such as holiday.  Similarly, paid bereavement leave is not available to employees who are on certain other approved University or statutory leaves of absence (i.e., family/medical leave, short or long-term disability, or workers’ compensation time loss).  However, in cases where the employee is out on vacation or sick leave, bereavement leave may be appropriate, at the discretion of the University.  For instance, if the employee stops a vacation to attend an Immediate Family member’s funeral or when absent to care for a family member who dies.

Paid bereavement time is paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay including shift differential, when applicable.

Time paid for funeral/bereavement leave will not be counted as hours worked for the purposes of computing overtime.

RELATED POLICIES AND APPLICABLE LEGAL OR ACCREDITATION STANDARDS

Family and Medical Leave Policy
Holiday Policy
Vacation Policy

PROCEDURES

1. Requests for paid bereavement leave must be submitted to the employee’s direct supervisor and Paid Time Off Form submitted to Human Resources.
2. Time must typically be taken within two (2) weeks of notification of the death; however, exceptions will be considered as appropriate (e.g., memorial or funeral has been postponed, travel required out of the country, cultural/religious practices may require services long after death).
3. Bereavement pay is coded in the applicable timekeeping system.

REFERENCING THE POLICY

HISTORY

APPENDIX

There are no appendices to this Policy.

APPROVALS

Laura Custer, Director of Human Resources

Dr. Kathleen Jagger, Acting President