Are in-laws considered immediate family for bereavement?
Asked by: Emilie Green | Last update: April 5, 2026Score: 4.4/5 (32 votes)
Yes, in-laws are often considered immediate family for bereavement leave, but it depends on the specific company policy or state law, with many states like California and Illinois explicitly including parents-in-law, children-in-law, and sometimes siblings-in-law, while some companies offer broader coverage for employees' well-being.
Do in-laws count for bereavement?
Covered employers must allow you to take bereavement leave upon the death of your spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law.
Are grandparents in law considered immediate family for bereavement?
As used herein for bereavement leave, immediate family is defined to be spouse, registered domestic partner with the State of California, parent, brother, sister, grandparent, child, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, or son-in-law.
Do inlaws count as immediate family?
The first is by blood, meaning they have the same lineage. The people who qualify for this determination are siblings, children or grandchildren that are related by blood. The second way to determine immediate family is by marriage. These include in-laws and stepchildren.
Who is not included in the immediate family?
People generally not considered immediate family include aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws (unless specific policies include them like parents/siblings-in-law) because immediate family usually refers to the nuclear unit: spouse, children, and parents, sometimes extending to siblings, but often excluding those requiring more than one line on a family tree. Definitions vary by context, like legal or HR policies, but cousins, aunts, and uncles are almost always extended family.
Does Bereavement Leave Include Siblings? - Elder Care Support Network
What is considered not immediate family?
Non-immediate family refers to relatives outside your core nuclear unit (parents, spouse, children, siblings), encompassing extended family like aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, grandchildren, and often in-laws (in-laws like siblings-in-law, parents-in-law, etc.), with specific definitions varying by legal context (like immigration or FMLA) or personal policy (like for bereavement leave). Essentially, it's anyone in your broader family tree, not directly in your household or immediate line of descent/ascent.
Is a daughter-in-law considered a relative?
For example, a daughter-in-law is a relative to her in-law parents even after the death of their son (her husband).
Is a father-in-law an immediate relative?
To clarify, immediate family is defined as spouse, mother, father, son, daughter, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, granddaughter or grandson. Siblings are not included.
Does a sister-in-law fall under bereavement?
These can include: In-laws – Mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law. Aunts and Uncles – Particularly for individuals who were close to them, aunts, and uncles may be considered immediate family for bereavement purposes.
What are the rules around bereavement leave?
A bereavement leave policy outlines company rules for time off after a death, typically offering 3-5 paid days for immediate family but varying widely by employer, with no federal mandate, though some states (like Oregon, Illinois) require leave (paid/unpaid) for certain family losses. Policies define eligibility (spouse, child, parent, etc.), duration, and payment status (paid/unpaid), helping employees attend funerals, handle arrangements, and process grief, with modern trends including options for non-consecutive leave.
Who is considered immediate family for bereavement leave USPS?
Immediate relative covers a wide range of relationships, including spouse; parents; parents-in-law; children; brothers; sisters; grandparents; grandchildren; step parents; step children; foster parents; foster children; guardianship relationships; same sex and opposite sex domestic partners; and spouses or domestic ...
Are inlaws included in obituaries?
It should look something like this: “Tony leaves behind his children Stuart (Dianne) Smith, Jody (Mark) Powell, and Katherine (Nick) Harroway.” In most cases, obituaries do not include the names or nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, or in-laws unless they were close to the deceased.
Which states have bereavement laws?
As of late 2025, five states mandate bereavement leave: California, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington, though requirements vary significantly, with some states offering job protection and others specifying paid or unpaid time for family losses like a child's death or reproductive issues. Federal law doesn't require bereavement leave, making state and employer policies crucial.
Who is considered immediate family at a funeral?
For purposes of subdivision (d) of Labor Code Section 2066, "immediate family member" means spouse, domestic partner, cohabitant, child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent, great grandparent, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, ...
Are inlaws considered immediate family for bereavement?
Extended Family, In-Laws, and Cultural Considerations
Some policies extend the definition of immediate family so that it includes: In-laws - your spouse's parents or siblings, may also be covered. California, for example, includes in-laws as immediate family.
How many days of bereavement do you get for in-laws?
California is now requiring that employers offer five days of unpaid bereavement leave in the event of a death of a family member. To be eligible, an employee must be employed for at least 30 days prior to the start of the leave.
Is brother-in-law part of bereavement leave?
Any full-time, permanent employee is allowed bereavement leave for the death of a qualifying family member, including their father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, husband, wife, child, stepchild, great-grandfather, great-grandmother, ...
Are in-laws immediate relatives?
(10) Commissions (A) Definition of immediate family In this paragraph, the term “immediate family” means an individual's father, mother, stepfather, stepmother, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, grandparent, grandson, granddaughter, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in- ...
Who is legally your immediate family?
The immediate family is a defined group of relations, used in rules or laws to determine which members of a person's family are affected by those rules. It normally includes a person's parents, siblings, spouse, children, and parents-in-law after marriage.
Do in-laws count as family members?
If you are a parent with adult married children, you have a son-in-law or daughter-in-law. Even if you are single, you have other family members — aunts and uncles and cousins — who are technically in-laws. An in-law would be defined as a family member related to you by marriage.
Is my daughter-in-law considered an immediate family?
Means a child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, stepparent, grandparent, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, or sister-in-law, including, adoptive relationships, of a natural person referred to herein.
Does mother-in-law count as relative?
(3) “relative” means, with respect to a public official, an individual who is related to the public official as father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, ...
What do two mother-in-laws call each other?
Two women who are mothers-in-law to each other's children may be called co-mothers-in-law, or, if there are grandchildren, co-grandmothers.
Does grandma in law count for bereavement?
Consistent with the CFRA's broad definition, a “family member” means a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law. Employers may voluntarily allow bereavement leave for a person not defined as a family member under the law.
Can I take bereavement leave for my partner's grandparent?
This is a day-one right. A right to a 'reasonable' amount of unpaid time off to deal with an emergency involving a dependant. This can include making funeral arrangements. A new day-one right to at least 1 week of unpaid leave for a qualifying bereavement, which now explicitly includes grandparents.