Procedure IV.4000.B.a: Bereavement Leave

INTRODUCTION:

This procedure establishes a uniform process for providing paid time off to employees for absences related to the death of immediate family members, in accordance with Policy IV.4000.B, Bereavement Leave. Under the College's bereavement leave policy, an employee may be off work with pay to attend the funeral, memorial service, or to handle matters related to the death of immediate family members.

DEFINITIONS:

“Immediate family” is defined as:

• Spouse (husband, wife)
• Children (son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law)
• Grandchildren and great-grandchildren
• Parents (mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother-in-law, father-in-law) or an individual who stood in loco parentis* to an employee when the employee was a child
• Parents' siblings (aunt, uncle)
• Siblings (brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law)
• Grandparents and great-grandparents
• Nieces/Nephews

*"In loco parentis” is commonly understood to refer to a relationship in which a person has put them self in the situation of a parent by assuming and discharging the obligations of a parent to a child with whom that person has no legal or biological connection. It exists when an individual intends to take on the role of a parent.

PROCEDURE:

Full-time employees receive up to twenty-four (24) scheduled work hours of bereavement leave per occurrence. If the employee needs more than twenty-four (24) scheduled work hours due to extenuating circumstances, the employee’s leader may authorize the employee to use sick, personal or vacation leave to cover additional absences. 

It is the responsibility of the employee to contact their leader personally when it is necessary to be absent due to a death in the family. The employee may contact the leader via text message or email if the leader has communicated that these methods are acceptable. The employee will contact the leader before their scheduled start time, unless there are extenuating circumstances, in which case the employee will contact the leader as soon as possible on the day of the absence.

Bereavement leave, which is compensation for time not actually worked, will not be considered in the calculation of overtime pay.