When a grandparent passes away, navigating the emotional difficulty is often compounded by uncertainty about employment policies for taking time off. This article clarifies the typical legal and corporate status of time-off policies following the death of a grandparent. It outlines what governs leave availability and how employees can best secure the time they need to grieve.
Understanding Bereavement Leave
Bereavement leave is a defined period of time off, which may be paid or unpaid, granted to an employee following the death of a family member. Employers offer this time so staff can mourn, attend services, and handle personal matters related to the loss. In the United States, this benefit is generally considered a voluntary offering from an employer, not a federally mandated right.
The availability and duration of this leave often hinge on how a policy defines an “immediate family member.” This definition acts as the central determinant for who qualifies for the full benefit. Since there is no single, national standard for family relationship definitions, policies vary widely between companies.
Legal Requirements for Grandparent Bereavement Leave
No federal law, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act, requires private employers to offer paid or unpaid bereavement leave for the death of any family member, including a grandparent. Therefore, an employer’s internal policy governs leave availability for the vast majority of the country.
A few states and local jurisdictions have enacted mandatory bereavement leave laws that often extend coverage to grandparents. California, for instance, mandates up to five days of leave for the death of a grandparent. Similarly, the Illinois Family Bereavement Leave Act requires employers to provide up to ten working days of unpaid leave for the death of a covered family member, explicitly defined to include a grandparent.
Oregon’s Family Leave Act also includes grandparents as covered family members, allowing eligible employees to take up to two weeks of unpaid leave per death. These state-level mandates require employers to provide time off regardless of their internal policy, though they typically do not require the leave to be paid.
Standard Corporate Policies Regarding Grandparent Coverage
Most US employers offer a bereavement benefit, often exceeding minimum legal requirements. For immediate family members (spouse, child, or parent), policies commonly offer three to five days of paid leave. Coverage for grandparents is less uniform but remains a common inclusion.
Company policies generally fall into three categories regarding grandparents:
Inclusion Categories
Some policies include grandparents as part of the “immediate family,” granting the full three to five days of leave.
Other companies place grandparents in a category of “extended family,” offering a shorter duration, frequently one or two days of paid leave.
A smaller number of policies explicitly exclude grandparents, only covering the employee’s direct line of descent and ascent.
When grandparents are covered, the number of days offered is typically fewer than the time allotted for a parent or child, often limited to one or two days. The decision to include grandparents and the number of days provided remains entirely at the company’s discretion outside of state mandates.
Strategies for Requesting and Securing Time Off
When a loss occurs, the first step an employee should take is to review the Employee Handbook or the company’s official leave policy documentation. This resource clarifies the specific definition of “family member” used by the organization and the exact duration of leave provided for a grandparent.
Employees should communicate the need for time off to both their direct manager and the Human Resources department as quickly as possible. Clear, timely communication is necessary to ensure proper payroll processing and coverage for work responsibilities, and employees should specify the dates they expect to be absent.
The company may request reasonable documentation to process the leave, such as a published obituary, a funeral program, or a death certificate. Providing this information promptly streamlines the approval process and ensures the leave is properly recorded as bereavement time.
Alternative Leave Options When Bereavement Leave Is Not Covered
If neither state law nor the company’s formal policy grants specific bereavement leave for a grandparent, employees have several alternative options to secure necessary time away from work. The most common alternative is utilizing accrued Paid Time Off (PTO), which is a flexible bank of days that can be used for any personal reason, including grief and travel.
Employees may also be able to use available Sick Leave, provided the company’s policy allows for its use beyond personal illness. Some modern policies permit using sick time to care for a grieving family member or for an employee’s own mental health needs following a loss. If paid options are exhausted or unavailable, an employee can formally request an unpaid personal leave of absence.
In situations where a full leave is not needed, employees can explore flexible work arrangements with their manager. Options such as working remotely for a few days, adjusting daily start and end times, or utilizing compressed work weeks can provide the necessary flexibility to manage personal obligations without taking a full leave of absence.