What happens when grief walks through your door? This is a moment that no manager or HR wants to face, but has to be ready for. However, it deeply affects work life. That is why bereavement leave is not optional any longer – it’s integral!
How you offer support during personal loss speaks to your culture.
So, let’s first understand what bereavement leave actually means & why it’s there in your HR policies.
What is Bereavement Leave?
This leave enables the employee to arrange their personal affairs, attend funerals, and have an emotional rest. This leave is an important aspect of employee benefits and gives insight into the company’s commitment to employee well-being.
Why Is Bereavement Leave Important in HR Policy?
From an HR perspective, this leave is more than just giving an employee time off.
- It shows empathy.
- It helps with employee relations.
- It helps to eliminate burnout & mental breakdowns.
In fact, employees who receive support while grieving are more likely to show employee loyalty. When they come back, they come back with a new sense of energy and trust in the leadership team.
Also, having Bereavement Leave in a formal HR policy shows structure and legal considerations.
Legal Guidelines and HR Compliance
Countries differ in terms of legalities regarding this process.
For example:
- India has no legal requirement for bereavement leave, but offers businesses the opportunity to offer up to 3–5 days’ paid leave.
- In the US, there is no legal requirement under the Fair Labor Standards Act, but most businesses offer it voluntarily.
As HR leaders, these situations need to be monitored constantly. This is why so many HR departments are using cloud-based HR software. Like Savvy HRMS, it to input, record, and maintain a leave policy like this.
Who is Entitled to Bereavement Leave?
Typically, it encompasses:
- Immediate family: parents, children, spouse, siblings.
- In some more modern companies, even close friends or chosen family members.
Your HR software should feature customizable leave structures in order to meet the needs of a diverse workforce.
How HR Can Effectively Handle Bereavement Leave
- Develop a Clear Bereavement Leave Policy
This should state the time limit, eligibility & approval process for leave.
- Utilize Automated Leave Management Systems
Platforms such as Savvy HRMS will keep track of employee bereavement leave, maintain records, and provide a complete picture.
- Allow for Flexibility
Grief is not a linear experience. If possible, consider giving them unpaid leave or allowing remote work.
Challenges in Bereavement Leave
Although important, bereavement leave can be challenging
Verifying claims without being insensitive. Respecting the organization’s productivity, but also the employees’ grief. Balancing productivity, but also supporting employees with grieving. Dealing with leave requests when workloads have peaked. However, with formalized HR systems of reporting and open communication, there is an expectation that these challenges could be dealt with smoothly.
The Importance of SAVVY HRMS for Managing Bereavement Leave
HR today is digital.
These platforms allow HR to:
- Automate your leave process
- Track your leave trends and absenteeism
- Enable self-service leave requests
- Maintain an auditable record for every employee
This automates your processes, saves time & helps reduce errors while ensuring staff are looked after.
Conclusion
Your people never forget how they were treated in a difficult time.
Teams that understand they should offer bereavement leave are investing in engagement and workplace dignity for the long term.
Whether it’s writing better HR policies or embracing intelligent tools like Savvy HRMS, we are all in the same business – we want to look after our people when they need it most!
FAQs
- How many days of bereavement leave are usually offered?
3-5 paid days. It can depend on your relationship with the deceased. It truly matters to the policy of the organization.
- Can bereavement leave be extended?
Yes. Some companies allow you to take additional unpaid time off or work remotely, but will require some kind of approval from your employer first.
- How does HR verify it?
HR may ask for evidence. If they require supporting evidence, they should do this very sensitively.
Make Compassion part of your culture
Supporting someone who is grieving at work is more than having a policy; it is having a system around people.
Savvy HRMS will automate leave management, empower you to remain HR compliant, and enable you to look after your people day in, day out.
Empower your HR. Support your people today by switching to Savvy HRMS.
