Losing a loved one is never easy, more so when you have to figure out the logistics of asking for bereavement leave. Most people assume it to be a given that they will receive paid leave for a death in the family, but only 60 percent of workers receive bereavement leave or funeral leave, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. During times of loss, it is quite difficult to think about bereavement pay and what are the bereavement days available for use so it is a good idea to review your policies in advance and see what your organization is willing to offer you.
(Image Credit – Pexels)
What Is Bereavement Leave?
In the aftermath of the loss of a loved one, there is considerable grief and despair that takes over and the overwhelming emotions make it impossible to get work done. Losing a loved one is not only emotionally exhausting but it also brings up different responsibilities and your attention often has to be solely on your family during such times. Bereavement leave refers to policies that an organization adopts, to allow you a few days to recover, gather yourself, and return to work.
There are no legal requirements for a company to provide bereavement leave to its employees. Similar to maternity leave, no laws require organizations to provide bereavement leave but most companies do give employees at least a day away from work. Oregon is one area with a state HR policy that mandates up to two weeks leave per family member, within one year following a death in the family. The leave must be taken within 60 days of death for whatever purpose the individual desires the leave. This is available to citizens under the Oregon Family Leave Act and has been in effect since 2014. Similarly, Illinois employers are mandated to provide up to 10 days of bereavement leave to their employees. However, both policies do not come with the condition of mandatory bereavement pay. According to the National Law Review, in Maryland, employers have to allow employees to use any accrued paid earned leave to grieve the loss of an immediate family member. While this is not a major mandate, it is still an important one.
It is unfortunate to consider that not many states have made the move to guarantee this benefit to their employees.
How Long Is Bereavement Leave?
While the grief doesn’t necessarily go away within a few days of bereavement leave, it allows employees some time away from the additional burdens of work as well. While there is no single standard for bereavement leave, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) study indicated that employers offered the most number of days for the death of a spouse or child, averaging around four days. For the death of a parent or sibling an employee could receive about three days, and one day for the loss of extended family. Funeral leave policies do not commonly extend to other individuals.
Companies have bereaved leave policies that are determined internally and generally apply to all employees if they are offered at all. Companies like Deloitte, Accenture, and Amazon are reported to have a 3-day bereavement leave policy, which appears to be the current standard. According to the National Partnership for Women and Families, Airbnb, BASF, General Mills, Intel, Levi Strauss & Co., Lyft, MassMutual, Mastercard, SurveyMonkey, and the United States Steel Corporation provide employees with at least two weeks of bereavement leave. Kickstand provides 15 days of leave for a death in the family. Meta and Adobe lead in the area with their 20-day bereavement leave policies.
Is Bereavement Leave Paid?
As such, leave for death in the family is usually considered as paid time off, to avoid pressuring the employee to come in to work despite not being in a position to work immediately. Not all companies have strict bereavement pay policies that they follow, however, some are willing to discuss the matter if such a situation does come up. HR Daily Advisor found that 94 percent of U.S. employers do provide some form of paid bereavement leave; however, the exact format of it is up to the company to decide.
“Bereavement is more common in the workplace than might be assumed: at any given time, 20% of the workforce has recently experienced loss. Bereavement has a significant impact on employees’ sense of wellbeing in the workplace, as well as their ability to focus on their jobs, with 76% of employees who have recently experienced bereavement reporting a decline in productivity.”
– Empathy Co-Founder and CEO Ron Gura, Hospice News
What Is Covered under Bereavement Days?
What are bereavement days if not a way for employees to recuperate but not all loss is seen as the same. The earlier stats clearly indicated that the loss of a spouse or child is given the most priority but the loss of extended family does not always get covered in the same way. Interestingly, things do seem to be changing. According to NFP’s recent report, 32 percent of employers have expanded their bereavement pay policy to cover other close relations and 7 percent now even acknowledge the death of a pet.
In a helpful turn of events, 24 percent of employers are also reported to provide bereavement leave for a miscarriage or failed IVF. This is a massive step forward in the process of acknowledging the true range of loss that is experienced by people at different stages of their lives. California’s Reproductive Loss Leave Bill now guarantees up to 5 days of leave following a reproductive loss, apart from its existing bereavement policies following the death of a loved one.
It might seem like an issue that can be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, but situations, where employees experience sudden loss, are often mishandled when there are no effective policies in place to handle the situation. Marie Curie reported that 56 percent of employees would consider leaving an organization if they were mistreated or improperly supported following a bereavement. If retention rates and a good employee relationship are important to a company, they cannot take bereavement pay and any leave after death in the family lightly.