1.19 Bereavement Leave Policy
I. Policy
A full-time employee will be permitted up to three working days of bereavement leave without pay reduction if a member of the immediate family dies. Bereavement leave may be used as the employee deems appropriate for time to grieve, attend a funeral, visitation or memorial service, deal with estate matters, or other related needs as determined by Human Resources.
II. Regulations
- The immediate family means a spouse, parent, child, brother, sister, grandparent, or grandchild. The term also includes step, half, and in-law relationships.
- Bereavement leave must be used within 180 days from the date of death. If not used within this timeframe, the leave expires. This leave has no cash value and cannot be converted into retirement credit or any other form of compensation.
- Bereavement leave is only available for employees who are actively employed at the time of the qualifying event (the death of an immediate family member). If the death occurred prior to the employee’s official hire date, the employee is not eligible for bereavement leave related to that event.
- Employees may be required to provide documentation showing the loss of an immediate family member at the time the leave is requested. If documentation is not available at the time of the request, the documentation must be provided as soon as it is available. Employees should reach out to Human Resources on how to enter and document this leave.
Leave for the death of an individual not a member of the immediate family must be approved by the immediate administrator and will be without pay, or the individual may use vacation or sick time to cover the leave.
Changes
Changes approved by the Board of Trustees on May 6, 2020; May 13, 2026
Changes approved by Cabinet on February 10, 2006