Who does bereavement pay for?
Asked by: Prof. Beverly Kunze DVM | Last update: March 22, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (28 votes)
Bereavement pay typically covers the death of immediate family like spouses, parents, children, and siblings, though policies vary, often extending to in-laws, grandparents, or domestic partners, and sometimes even close friends or pets; it provides paid time off (usually 3-5 days) for funeral arrangements and grieving, with details found in your employer's HR policy or state laws.
What can bereavement pay be used for?
For the purposes of sick leave use, bereavement includes time needed to make arrangements for, travel to, and attend a funeral, wake, or other religious observances related to the passing as well as any time needed to make other arrangements, such as settling of accounts and management of the estate.
Does bereavement usually cover aunts and uncles?
Yes, aunts and uncles are often covered under bereavement leave, but it depends entirely on your employer's specific policy, as definitions of "family" vary, with some policies offering shorter, unpaid, or single-day leave for them compared to immediate family like parents or children. Some state laws (like California's) also cover broader definitions, while others (like Illinois's FBLA) focus on stricter definitions, so checking your company handbook or HR is essential.
Who are the immediate relatives for bereavement?
For bereavement, immediate family generally includes your spouse, parents, children, and siblings, but the definition often expands to include grandparents, in-laws, domestic partners, step-family, and even foster children, depending on your employer's specific policy or local laws. It's crucial to check your company's handbook, as definitions vary widely, but typically covers those with whom you have the closest ties, often granting more time off for these core relationships.
What is typical bereavement pay?
Standard bereavement pay in the U.S. offers 3 to 5 paid days off for immediate family (spouse, parent, child) and often 1 day for other relatives, though it's not federally mandated, with policies varying by employer and state, and often allowing use of PTO for more time. Some states like Illinois and California have laws requiring leave (paid or unpaid depending on the law) for covered family members, while federal law doesn't require paid bereavement leave, leaving it to company benefits.
What Is Bereavement Leave?
What states require bereavement pay?
While no federal law mandates bereavement pay, several states require employers to provide some form of bereavement leave, including California, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington, with some also covering miscarriage/reproductive loss; leave policies vary in length (e.g., California's 5 days, Illinois's 10 days) and eligibility, often depending on employer size and family member relationship.
Do I get paid for a family bereavement?
Many employers choose to offer pay during bereavement. An employer might call this 'compassionate', 'bereavement' or 'special' paid leave. The amount an employer offers may depend on organisation policy or an employee's contract.
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.
Can I take bereavement leave for a friend?
Bereavement leave is special paid leave that can be for used for a range of situations including: the death of an immediate family member or a close friend. a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Does a grandparent count for bereavement leave?
Yes, bereavement leave policies often cover grandparents, with many federal, state (like California, Illinois), and company policies explicitly including grandparents as "covered" or "immediate" family for paid or unpaid time off to attend funerals or grieve, though the exact number of days and whether it's paid depends on the specific employer's rules and location.
Who is not considered an 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.
Are aunts and uncles considered immediate family?
No, aunts and uncles are generally considered extended family, not immediate family, which usually means parents, siblings, spouse, and children; however, definitions vary by context, and emotionally close aunts/uncles or specific policies (like some bereavement leave) might include them as part of the immediate circle. Legally, they are often second-degree relatives, while immediate family are first-degree (parents, siblings, children).
Who gets a bereavement payment?
To get Bereavement Support Payment, you must have been under State Pension age when your partner died. You could be eligible if your husband, wife or civil partner either: paid National Insurance contributions for at least 25 weeks in any 1 tax year. died because of an accident at work or a disease caused by work.
What proof do they ask for bereavement?
To minimize abuse of company funeral leave, your employer may ask you to provide a death certificate, a copy of the obituary, or a program from the funeral service.
Can I use bereavement for anything?
Because there isn't any sort of mandate regarding bereavement leave, employer policies can widely vary. But generally, if you've recently lost a loved one, you may be able to use bereavement leave, if it's offered, to grieve, make funeral and burial arrangements, plan a funeral, or even attend services.
Can you get bereavement leave for a friend?
In cases where the deceased isn't a dependent or immediate family member, specific rights may not apply. However, your employer has the discretion to grant leave, so it's advisable to discuss the situation with them. Remember, the loss of a close friend or chosen family member can also be grounds for bereavement leave.
Do cousins count for bereavement?
Many employers with bereavement leave policies offer about three days of paid leave per loss. Some company policies may provide a set number of days for immediate relatives, such as parents, siblings, spouses or children, but fewer for extended relatives, such as aunts and uncles, cousins or grandparents.
Can I take bereavement leave for a pet?
The leave may be paid or unpaid, depending on your policies and the state laws governing your company. While there's no federal requirement, many states have laws that require minimum bereavement leave. Some companies might extend this bereavement benefit to pets.
Is an uncle included in bereavement leave?
Leave for extended family members is typically shorter, often limited to a single day to attend funeral services. Additionally, the IFEBP reported that most businesses offered one day of bereavement leave to attend the funeral of an aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew.
Who qualifies as an immediate relative?
Immediate relatives are the closest family members, which usually include parents, spouses, and children, sometimes including siblings and grandparents. The relationships are created via blood, adoption, and marriage.
Is a girlfriend an immediate family?
Generally, a girlfriend does not count as immediate family in strict legal or official definitions, which usually focus on spouses, parents, children, and siblings, but some state laws or specific policies might include live-in partners or domestic partners, making it situational. For things like FMLA or government forms, it's usually no unless you're married or a registered domestic partner; in personal or informal contexts, you might consider them family.
What is the average bereavement pay?
A typical bereavement policy example might allocate five days off for the loss of an immediate family member with three of those days paid.
Do you get paid bereavement for an aunt?
Yes, employers have the discretion to define "immediate family" in their own policies. This may include extended family members like aunts, uncles, or close family friends. 2. How long can an employee take for bereavement leave?
Do I have to pay for my dad's funeral?
If your parent had written a will, then the executor of their estate will be responsible for arranging the funeral service. If no will is present, the family are normally responsible for carrying out this task.
Who is considered immediate family when it comes to bereavement?
For bereavement, "immediate family" usually covers spouses/partners, parents, children, and siblings, but definitions vary by employer and location, often expanding to include grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws (parents, siblings, children-in-law), and sometimes step-relatives, with policies increasingly recognizing domestic partners and chosen family for leave. Always check your company's specific policy for the exact scope, as some policies are legally mandated, like in California, while others are company-defined.