Updated: February 11, 2025 
- Define bereavement leave,
- Go over bereavement leave laws in different US states,
- Guide you on how to ask for bereavement leave, and
- Answer FAQs about bereavement leave.
- Bereavement leave is used after the death of a loved one, to grieve, make funeral arrangements, and attend to other related matters.
- Federal law in the US doesn’t mandate bereavement leave, so its availability depends on company policies and relevant state laws.
- Some states (like California and Illinois) require employers to provide bereavement leave.
- Most employers who offer bereavement leave institute policies that dictate the length, compensation, and similar terms for this type of PTO.
What is bereavement leave?
How does bereavement leave work?
- Spouse,
- Child, foster child, or step-child,
- Grandchild,
- Sibling,
- Parent, or
- Grandparent.
How long is bereavement leave?
Is bereavement leave paid?
What is a typical bereavement leave policy?
- Eligibility — stating whether full-time or part-time employees are eligible for the leave and which employees qualify,
- Duration — stating how much time off employees can request in such circumstances,
- Compensation — stating whether employees requesting funeral leave are entitled to time off with or without pay, and
- Documentation — stating the documents necessary for requesting bereavement leave, potentially including a copy of an obituary or death certificate, travel documents, etc.
How do I ask my boss for bereavement leave?
Step #1: Check your company’s policy
- How much time off you will get,
- Whether you will get paid or unpaid time off, or
- Whether funeral leave is separate from other types of leave (some companies may offer vacation days instead of a separate bereaved leave of absence).
Step #2: Inform your employer
Step #3: Provide necessary documentation
- An obituary,
- A death certificate, or
- Written certification from a funeral home, government agency, or religious institution.
Step #4: Keep your colleagues in the loop
State Bereavement Leave Laws 2025
| State | Eligible employers and employees | Number of days offered | Qualifying reason for taking bereavement leave | Paid or unpaid bereavement leave | Needed documentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | All employers with 5 or more employees. All employees who are employed for at least 30 days before the beginning of the bereaved leave (doesn’t apply to employees covered by a valid collective bargaining agreement). | Up to 5 days of bereavement leave. | Upon the death of a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law. | This leave does not have to be paid. | A death certificate, a published obituary, or written verification of death, burial, or memorial services from a mortuary, funeral home, burial society, crematorium, religious institution, or governmental agency. |
| Illinois | All employers with 50 or more employees are covered by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. All employees who have worked at least 1,250 hours of service in the last 12-month period. | A maximum of 10 workdays. | Upon the death of a “covered family member” such as a child, stepchild, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, or stepparent. | Unpaid leave of absence. | A death certificate or published obituary as a proof. |
| Maryland | All employers with 15 or more employees. | Accrued and earned amount of leave. | An employee who’s lost their child, spouse, or parent. | Accrued paid leave (from sick leave, vacation time, and compensatory time). | N/A |
| Oregon | All employers with 25 or more employees. All employees who have worked for 180 calendar days (and an average of 25 hours/week) before the beginning of the bereaved leave. | Up to 2 weeks of bereaved leave. | Amid the death of a family member including a spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, parent’s spouse, sibling, stepsibling, grandparent, grandparent’s spouse, grandchild, grandchild’s spouse, or any other individual related by blood. | Unpaid leave of absence. | N/A |
| Washington | All employers and employees. | Up to 3 days. In addition, eligible employees may use family leave of up to 7 days in case of the death of their child. | Amid the death of a family member or household member. | Paid bereavement leave. In addition, employees may ask for additional paid leave from accrued vacation, holiday, sick leave, compensatory time, or personal holiday. | N/A |
FAQs about bereavement leave
How long should you take off work after a bereavement?
What’s the difference between bereavement leave and compassionate leave?
- When a family member is seriously ill or injured,
- To attend to an urgent family matter,
- To care for a family member after an emergency such as crime, fire, flood, etc.
Does the federal law require employers to provide bereavement leave?
What states require employers to provide bereavement leave?
- California,
- Illinois,
- Maryland,
- Oregon, and
- Washington.
Can an employer provide bereaved leave, even if not mandated by the state?
What are the benefits of employers providing bereaved leave?
What if my employer doesn’t provide bereavement leave?
What if I’m self-employed and bereaved?
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