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Bereavement Leave Policy
Free bereavement leave policy template establishing paid or unpaid time off for employees following the death of a family member.
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This free bereavement leave policy covers Purpose, Eligibility, Leave Duration, Requesting Leave, Extended Leave with 6 clearly marked [placeholder] fields to fill in — built for small business owners and first-time managers handling an HR moment professionally without a dedicated HR department to lean on. Copy it into your own word processor, fill in the placeholders, and review it — or adapt it — before use. It's part of docstoc's free document template library, alongside business, legal, real estate, finance, and HR templates. Every template here is free to copy with no signup required, and each one carries a plain disclaimer: this is a starting point for informational purposes, not a substitute for advice from a licensed professional in your jurisdiction.
Bereavement Leave Policy
Company: [Company Name] · Effective Date: [Date]
Purpose
This policy provides employees time off to grieve and attend to matters following the death of a family member or close relation.
Eligibility
All [full-time/regular] employees are eligible for bereavement leave immediately upon hire [or after [Waiting Period]].
Leave Duration
| Relationship | Paid Days |
|---|---|
| Spouse, child, parent | [Number] days |
| Sibling, grandparent, grandchild, in-law | [Number] days |
| Other close relation | [Number] days, at manager discretion |
Requesting Leave
Employees should notify [Manager/HR] as soon as reasonably possible, which may be after the fact given the nature of bereavement leave.
Extended Leave
Additional unpaid time off, or use of accrued PTO, may be requested for [travel, extended family circumstances, or a religious mourning period], subject to manager approval.
Documentation
[State whether documentation (e.g. obituary, funeral program) may be requested, and note this should be handled with sensitivity.]
Interaction with Other Leave
This leave is separate from and does not reduce an employee's PTO/sick leave balance, unless bereavement leave is exhausted and the employee elects to use additional PTO.
Adopted by: ______________________ Date: ____________
*This document is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. A small number of US states and some localities now legally mandate bereavement leave with specific minimum durations — most notably Oregon and a few others — so confirm whether your state has a statutory requirement before assuming this is purely a discretionary company benefit.*
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What's included
- Edit online — click the document, fill in placeholders, download a PDF
- 7 standard sections: Purpose, Eligibility, Leave Duration, Requesting Leave, Extended Leave, Documentation, …
- 6 clearly marked [placeholder] fields for quick personalizing
- Free to use — no account or signup required
- Fully editable — adjust any clause to match your actual situation
- Includes a signature block, ready to print or sign digitally
- Fixed docstoc.io footer on every PDF (not removable)
Who this template is for
Freelancers & solo founders
Handling routine business paperwork without commissioning custom legal drafting for every document.
Small businesses
Standardizing recurring documents — leases, agreements, notices — across a growing operation.
Anyone reviewing before signing
Using a clear starting structure to understand what a document should cover, even if a lawyer finalizes it.
Growing teams
Formalizing hiring and performance processes as a company adds its first employees.
FAQ
Is this bereavement leave policy template really free?
Yes. Like every template in docstoc's library, this bereavement leave policy is free to use, with no account or signup needed to view, edit, or download it.
What does this bereavement leave policy cover?
This hr template includes Purpose, Eligibility, Leave Duration, Requesting Leave. Fill in the [bracketed] placeholders, edit any clause online, then download a PDF — the docstoc.io footer stays on every export.
Is this legal advice?
No. Employment documents sit on top of a mix of federal, state, and sometimes city labor law — at-will employment rules, required notices, and what you can and can't put in writing all vary. Have an employment attorney or HR professional confirm this fits your jurisdiction before you use it.
Can I edit the wording?
Yes — edit directly on the page, adjust any section or clause, and re-fill the 6 placeholder fields to match your situation before downloading a PDF. It's a starting structure, not a rigid script.
Where can I find more free templates like this?
Browse more free hr and related document templates in the docstoc library at /document-templates/.
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- Employee Offer Letter
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