January 9, 2026
This guide covers essential elements of a bereavement leave policy, including leave duration, flexibility, covered relationships, manager training, and return-to-work planning. See why a thoughtful policy is both a human and business imperative
When an employee loses someone they love, the days that follow are some of the hardest of their life. How your organization responds in that moment shapes everything: their recovery, their trust in leadership, and whether they stay or start looking elsewhere.
A thoughtful bereavement leave policy does more than check a compliance box. It signals to your entire workforce that people matter here, especially when life gets hard. This guide walks through bereavement leave best practices and the essential elements every policy should include, along with practical strategies for supporting grieving employees before, during, and after their leave.
Grief doesn't pause for deadlines. And when it hits, the effects ripple far beyond the first few days.
According to Workplace Options, 91% of grieving employees report a significant drop in productivity, including difficulty concentrating, emotional exhaustion, and mood swings. This near-universal impact means bereavement support isn't an edge case. It's a core business concern that affects nearly every team at some point.
The consequences of getting it wrong are measurable. A peer-reviewed study published in The Transdisciplinary Journal of Management found that nearly half (44.1%) of bereaved employees have separated from their pre-loss employer, with approximately 54% of those departures being voluntary.
When employees feel unsupported during grief, they leave. Replacing them costs far more than providing meaningful support. It’s no coincidence that some of the top companies are setting new standards in bereavement policies. They recognize what’s at stake and the value of having the right support in place.
Most employers offer three to five days of bereavement leave. That's nowhere near enough.
According to ExtensisHR and SHRM research, while the majority of companies offer three to five days, grief experts recommend a minimum of 20 days off after the death of a close family member. This creates a 15 to 17 day gap between what employees receive and what they actually need.
Consider what those first days after a loss actually look like:
Your bereavement leave policy should acknowledge this reality by offering extended leave or the flexibility to take additional unpaid time without penalty.
Grief doesn't follow a schedule. An employee may feel capable of working one week and completely overwhelmed the next, especially around anniversaries, holidays, or unexpected triggers.
Build flexibility into your policy by allowing non-consecutive leave. Let employees take their bereavement days over several weeks or months rather than requiring them to use everything at once. This approach respects the unpredictable nature of grief while helping employees maintain some connection to their work and routine.
For example, an employee might take five days immediately after a loss, then need additional days a month later when they handle the estate sale, and again around their loved one's birthday.
Traditional policies often limit bereavement leave to immediate family (spouse, parent, child, sibling). But grief doesn't care about legal definitions.
Expand your policy to include:
Some employees may be closer to an aunt who raised them than a biological parent they barely know. Others may lose a best friend who was their primary support system. A compassionate bereavement leave policy acknowledges that love and grief aren't determined by bloodlines alone.
Bereavement extends beyond the death of a family member. Pregnancy loss, failed adoptions, and failed surrogacy attempts all create profound grief, yet only 39% of employers extend bereavement coverage to these situations.
Your policy should explicitly include:
The goal is to support employees through genuine grief, whatever form it takes.
A policy is only as good as the people who implement it. Managers are often the first point of contact when an employee experiences loss, and how they respond sets the tone for the entire experience.
The instinct to fix things is strong, especially for managers accustomed to solving problems. But grief isn't a problem to solve.
According to Faith Holloway, a workplace bereavement expert who leads the Compassionate Employers Program at Hospice UK, the most important thing a manager can do is slow down and listen. In a live webinar conversation with Bereave, she emphasized that validation comes before solutions: "It's crucial that the person feels acknowledged before any solutions or adjustments are offered."
Managers should acknowledge what an employee is going through before discussing logistics like leave duration or workload coverage. A simple "I'm sorry you're going through this" goes further than jumping straight to scheduling.
Silence can feel uncomfortable, but it isn't something to rush past. Naming the discomfort openly can actually reduce tension. Saying something like "We can just sit here quietly for a moment" gives the employee permission to process without pressure.
One conversation isn't enough. Grief lasts far longer than most people expect.
Research from Empathy's 2025 Grief Tax Report shows that the direct impacts of loss on work life last an average of 17 to 18 months. That's nearly six business quarters, not three to five days.
Train managers to check in regularly after an employee returns to work. These don't need to be lengthy conversations. A quick "How are you doing this week?" or "Is there anything I can help with?" signals that the employee's situation hasn't been forgotten.
Consistent follow-up demonstrates genuine care and helps managers catch signs of struggle before they escalate.
Returning to work after a loss is rarely straightforward. Certain tasks, workspaces, or even coworkers may trigger difficult emotions. A structured return-to-work plan helps ease the transition.
According to Sarah Hines, an expert in workplace grief support with a background in HR and employee wellbeing, return-to-work plans should be customized to each employee's needs. In a live conversation with Bereave, she explained that some employees may need flexible hours, while others may need lighter duties or emotional support as they reintegrate. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely works.
The goal is to make the transition as smooth as possible while remaining responsive to the employee's evolving needs.
When a team member is grieving, the rest of the team often wants to help but doesn't know how. Proactive communication prevents confusion and ensures support is offered respectfully.
Be transparent about the employee's absence while respecting their privacy. Ask the grieving employee how much they want shared and with whom. Some people prefer their team to know the details. Others want minimal discussion.
Set clear expectations about workload coverage:
Clear answers reduce anxiety for everyone and prevent the grieving employee from feeling like a burden when they return.
Policy matters, but culture matters more. Employees won't use supportive policies if they fear judgment or professional consequences for doing so.
Normalize conversations about grief. Encourage leaders to share their own experiences with loss when appropriate. Make it clear through both words and actions that bringing your whole self to work includes bringing your grief.
Provide grief-specific training for managers. Equip them with communication skills, active listening techniques, and the ability to recognize when employees might be struggling. This training gives managers the confidence to handle difficult situations with compassion and clarity.
Finally, ensure employees know what resources are available. Many organizations offer employee assistance programs, grief counseling, or mental health support, but awareness is often low. Regularly remind your workforce about these options without making anyone feel pressured to use them.
A comprehensive bereavement leave policy protects both your people and your organization. It reduces turnover, maintains productivity during difficult periods, and demonstrates the kind of compassionate leadership that employees increasingly expect.
The elements are straightforward: adequate paid leave, flexibility in how that leave is used, broad coverage for various relationships and loss types, manager training, thoughtful return-to-work planning, and a culture that treats grief as a normal part of life rather than something to hide.
When you show up for employees during their hardest moments, you build loyalty that lasts far beyond the grief itself.
While most companies offer three to five days, grief experts recommend 20 days for the loss of a close family member. At minimum, consider offering five to seven days of paid leave with the option for additional unpaid or flexible time. The key is acknowledging that grief extends far beyond funeral arrangements.
There is no federal law requiring bereavement leave in the United States. However, as of 2025, seven states have bereavement leave laws: California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington. Even without legal requirements, offering bereavement leave is a best practice that supports retention and employee wellbeing.
Paid bereavement leave is strongly recommended for at least the initial leave period. According to SHRM, 91% of U.S. employers offer some form of paid bereavement leave. Paid leave reduces financial stress during an already difficult time and signals that your organization genuinely supports employees through loss.
A comprehensive policy should cover immediate family (spouse, parent, child, sibling), extended family (grandparents, in-laws, aunts, uncles), domestic partners, chosen family, and close friends. Consider also including pregnancy loss, failed adoption, and pet loss. The goal is to support employees through genuine grief, regardless of the relationship's legal status.
The most effective support starts with listening rather than problem-solving. Acknowledge the loss before discussing logistics. Check in consistently over time (grief impacts work for an average of 17 to 18 months). Offer specific, practical help rather than generic "let me know if you need anything" statements. And respect that grief is unpredictable: an employee may be fine one week and struggling the next.
Ideally, no. Allowing non-consecutive leave gives employees flexibility to handle unexpected grief triggers, estate matters that arise weeks later, or difficult dates like anniversaries and birthdays. Building this flexibility into your bereavement leave policy shows you understand how grief actually works.
See how Bereave helps teams respond with clarity, consistency, and care.
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