Revised:

Policy
Regular full-time employees are eligible for two (2) days off with pay due to the death of an immediate family member, as defined below.   If additional time is needed for a particular occurrence, employees may use earned sick/medical leave or vacation leave. Any additional time must be approved by the supervisor/department head.  Employees should provide notice to supervisors/department heads immediately upon the death of the family member and in advance of bereavement leave being taken. 

Supervisors/department heads may require an obituary notice or other form of documentation to substantiate the authorization for leave with pay.  Except in unusual circumstances, approved leave for bereavement purposes must begin within twelve (12) calendar days from the date of death.

Time taken as bereavement leave should not be reported as vacation or sick/medical leave on the Leave Report Form (except in cases where leave exceeds the two day limit and as otherwise referenced above).  Absences related to bereavement should be documented and maintained in department/unit records as appropriate.

An employee may be granted time off for bereavement leave for individuals who are not defined as immediate family.  The initial two days of such leave should be charged to accumulated sick/medical leave with any remaining days charged to accumulated vacation leave.  All time off must be approved in advance by the supervisor/department head.

There is no waiting period required for employees to be eligible for bereavement leave.

Definitions: For purposes of this policy, “a day” is defined as the number of hours regularly worked per week, divided by five.

Immediate family is defined as spouse, child, step-child, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, parent, step-parent, grandchild, grandparent, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law or brother-in-law.