Is bereavement time considered vaction time or sick leave time?

Question

Does it matter who you are missing work to greive? (like a family member verus a friend, a close (ie like mom versus a cousin) family member

i meant to type grieve...

Answer 1

There may well be a difference and the best way to find this information is to read your company's employee handbook or policies (which should spell this out). Today, most companies have a general pool of PTO days (personal time off), which employees can take for whatever they need (vacation, sick, etc.) However, some companies give bereavement time off separetely, for instance your company many have a policy that provides paid bereavement time off for immediate family only (i.e. parents, siblings, grandparents). When it comes to extended family, then a company may give you a choice (i.e. unpaid or give you the option of taking vacation time if you want to be paid). If the death is so close and has caused you such emotional distress that it requires a health care provider, then this time may come under sick leave.

Some companies keep the bereavement policy open just to allow flexibility for their employees. However, if you frequently need to take bereavement leave (besides being really unlucky), this may lead to an employer being much more stringent on paid time off and they might request you either take unpaid time or vacation pay.

Hope this helps - Good luck.

Answer 2

At my company, bereavement is neither vacation or sick time. Unless, of course, you are grieving for a friend or for an indirect relative (meaning, brother, sister, mom, dad, or grandparent).

That being said, the managers at my company have a bit of leeway in that under some circumstances they will be very flexible with you and not hold you to the letter of the policy necessarily.

Depending on who died, is the amount of time you get off. I believe a grandparent might be 1 day, where a parent or child might be 3-5 days. I guess if you wanted to take more time off than is per policy, you'd have to use vacation.

Answer 3

There's no legal entitlement to compassionate leave when a loved on passes away - however the vast majority of employers will have a policy in place which will allow a certain number of paid days off - you need to clarify if your employer has such a policy. If not, it's worth asking what they have done in similar circumstances for other employees, but allowing unpaid leave may be their idea of a compromise for staff. In terms of sick leave - you can only claim this if you are unfit for work. Some people are so distressed after a loved one passes away that they are not fit for work and obtain a sick note from their doctor to allow them extra time off. If you are saying that you are so distressed that you are not fit to work then you could try and claim sick leave - but your employer may question this. In addition if you take sick leave there is nothing to stop your employer taking this into account if they decide to start closely managing your attendance (which if you've had other time off sick as well, they may do).

Answer 4

What Does Bereavement Leave Mean

Answer 5

Bereavement Time

Answer 6

Berevement time off is not the same as vaction or sick time. Usually, you are only allowed this benefit for very close family, ie. spouse, mom, dad, siblings. some bereavement policy may include grandparents. You are given a specified number of days off for funeral arrangements and the funeral If you need addtional time off then you would have to approval to take vacation first and then if no vacation time earned sick days last. You may also qualify for Family Leave. Consult with your HR dept.

Answer 7

Bereavement leave is generally neither sick leave or vacation. And yes it does matter who passed. Most employers limite bereavement leave to spouse, children, parents, aunt/uncles, grandparents, etc. Some will allow the employee to take off additional time beyond bereavement and by using sick or vacation.

Answer 8

It depends with the company you work for. Most company have bereavement leave benefit that is separate from vacation and sick time which doesn't affect your vacation or sick leave but others who doesn't have bereavement leave let you use up to three days of accrued sick leave for that purpose.

Answer 9

It is usually allowed 3 days off froma most companies for a blood relative but if you work for the Federal Govt we get no time we have to use our own sick leave to grieve.

Answer 10

generally a good company will give you three days off for bereavement and it is called just that. otherwise you probably have to take sick time. you usually have to have lost an immediate family member. mother,father,sister,brother or close inlaw.