Bereavement Leave

Updated November 2018

When a death occurs in an employee's immediate family, all regular full time employees may take up to three (3) days off with pay to attend the funeral or make funeral arrangements. The pay for time off will be prorated for a part-time employee if the funeral occurs on a scheduled work day. The College may, in unusual circumstances, require verification of the need for the leave.  If travel to another state is required, up to an additional two (2) days may be granted.

Under this policy, “family member” is defined as:  

1. Employee’s spouse or domestic partner;
2. Employee’s child (including foster child, legal dependent, or child of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner, i.e. step-child);
3. Employee’s sibling (including that of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner);
4. Employee’s parent or person who has served as the employee’s parent (including that of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner);
5. Employee’s grandparent (including that of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner);
6. Employee’s grandchild (including that of the employee’s spouse or domestic partner).

An employee who wishes to request bereavement leave should notify his/her supervisor or department head immediately.  If an employee receives notification during the working day of a death of a covered family member, any absence that day will be excused and will not count towards any approved bereavement leave days. 

Employees who need to be away from work due to the death of a non-family member as defined under this policy, may take up to one (1) day off with pay.  This time off will be considered by the employee’s manager on a case-by-case basis.  Any additional time off will be unpaid, unless the employee chooses to use accrued vacation time, and must be approved by a supervisor.