Bereavement Leave
| Section: | Human Resources Policies |
| Policy Name: | Bereavement Leave |
| Policy Owner: | Executive Vice President |
| Responsible University Office: | Office of Human Resources |
| Origination Date: | 1997 |
| Revisions: | June 2016; July 2017 |
| Legacy Policy Number: | 4-44 |
- SCOPEOF POLICYThis policy addresses available bereavement leave for benefits-eligible employees.
- DEFINITIONS
- Immediate family member: an employee’s spouse, father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter, step parent, step child, and parent-in-law.
- POLICY STATEMENTUniversity benefits-eligible employees are provided with paid time off for making arrangements, settling family affairs, bereavement, and/or attending the funeral or memorial service of a member of the family. The University of Delaware values and recognizes the wide array of a person’s definition of family and looks to be supportive and accommodating of employees in their time of grief during their loss of a loved one.
- POLICY STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES
- Death of employee’s immediate family member: Employees may be excused from work with pay upon request for up to five (5) consecutive working days following the death of an immediate family member.
- Death of employee’s grandparent/grandchild: Employees may be excused from work with pay upon request for a maximum of three (3) consecutive working days following the death of an employee’s grandparent or grandchild.
- Death of employee’s other close relative: Employees may be excused from work with pay upon request and approval by the employee’s immediate supervisor for up to one (1) working day with pay for the death of a close relative not in the immediate family, such as an aunt or uncle.
- Approval Required in Certain Situations: Extension of bereavement leave, leave for a relative or person not listed herein, or use of non-consecutive bereavement leave may be requested and utilized with the approval of the supervisor concerned and the Office of Employee Relations, employee-relations@udel.edu. Such situations will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Other options might include, but are not limited to, utilizing vacation time or taking a leave without pay.
- Absences do not implicate Attendance Policy: Absences due to bereavement/funeral will not be included when considering an employee’s attendance record. These absences should be documented, but should not be considered as an occurrence when determining absenteeism/lateness in accordance with the Attendance Policy. The University reserves the right to request documentation supporting a bereavement leave request.