Bereavement Leave Policy: Sample Template and Free Download
A bereavement leave policy is a workplace rule that allows employees time off after the death of an immediate family member, with clear eligibility. Read more.
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The loss of a loved one is a very personal and emotional moment for an employee. It can significantly impact their focus, well-being, and ability to work. Providing structured bereavement leave ensures that staff have the time and support they need during these difficult moments, reflecting a compassionate workplace culture.
In India, where 46.8% of regular-wage and salaried workers are not eligible for paid leave, offering bereavement leave becomes even more critical. While bereavement leave is not legally mandated in India, progressive organisations today increasingly provide this benefit as part of their employee welfare programs. This mainly helps reduce stress, improve loyalty, and maintain productivity.
In this blog, you'll explore what a bereavement leave policy is, why it’s important, its essential components, and how to implement it effectively in your organisation. Keep reading to access a free, editable template to create a policy suited to your organisation’s needs.
At a Glance
Bereavement Leave Policy: A workplace policy that provides employees with time off to grieve and manage personal matters following the loss of a close family member.
What you get with this Policy: Compassionate support for employees, improved trust in management, and a fair, consistent process for handling sensitive situations.
What the Policy Includes: Clearly defining eligibility, duration, approval, documentation, and extensions ensures a fair, transparent, and supportive bereavement leave process.
Policy Updates to Consider: Regularly review eligible relationships, leave duration, and pay status to match evolving workforce expectations.
How to Implement the Policy: Use the free downloadable template provided in this article to establish structured, empathetic, and fair guidelines.
A bereavement leave policy specifies the amount of time employees can take off following the death of a close family member. Unlike casual or annual leave, which are accrued over time, bereavement leave is typically provided as a separate entitlement. It allows employees to mourn and attend to their personal affairs without affecting other leave balances.
Implementing such a policy ensures that HR teams handle requests consistently, reducing ambiguity and promoting a culture of empathy within the organisation.
Providing employees with a structured bereavement leave policy reflects a culture of care and understanding. When employees know they have support during difficult times, it builds trust and reinforces a positive work environment.
To better understand its value, here are the key benefits organisations gain by implementing such a policy:
Promotes Organisational Empathy: Demonstrates the company's recognition of employees’ personal challenges and its value for their well-being beyond work.
Ensures Consistency: Standardises leave procedures, preventing unequal or biased decisions across teams.
Reduces Workplace Stress: Enables employees to focus on personal matters without the added pressure of work obligations.
Strengthens Employer Branding: Demonstrates a compassionate culture that boosts employee trust, engagement, and retention.
Supports HR Efficiency: Clear guidelines simplify leave approvals, tracking, and compliance management.
By establishing a bereavement leave policy, organisations not only support employees in times of loss but also build a resilient, empathetic, and well-managed workplace.
A well-crafted bereavement leave policy offers clarity and support to employees during one of life’s most challenging times. By defining the key components of leave, organisations can ensure employees understand their entitlements while maintaining workflow consistency.
Eligibility Criteria: Defines which family relations qualify (e.g., spouse, children, parents, siblings, grandparents).
Leave Duration: Specifies the number of days (commonly 2-5 days) and clarifies if it’s paid or unpaid.
Approval Workflow: Outlines the process and timing for employees to inform managers/HR.
Documentation Requirements: Decides if proof (like a death certificate/obituary) is necessary.
Extended Leave Rules: Offers options for additional unpaid leave or utilising other leave balances.
Also Read: Understanding HR Compliance: Definition, Laws, and Best Practices
Clearly defining these elements helps create a transparent, consistent, and fair leave process, giving employees the time and space they need while ensuring managers and HR teams can manage requests efficiently.
This structured bereavement leave policy template can be adapted by businesses to provide clear guidelines and ensure a fair, consistent application process. To make it actionable, here are the key steps and considerations your organisation should focus on when creating or refining the policy:
1. Define Your Objective
Clearly articulate why your organisation is implementing a bereavement leave policy and what it aims to achieve.
Support Employees: Ensure employees have time to grieve, attend funerals, and manage personal affairs.
Consistency Across Teams: Standardise how bereavement leave is applied to avoid confusion or unfair treatment.
Cultural Sensitivity: Recognise diverse cultural practices around death and bereavement.
2. Set Paid Bereavement Leave
Define clear entitlements and boundaries for paid leave during bereavement.
Immediate Family Coverage: Specify the number of days allocated for loss of a spouse, parent, child, or sibling, striking a balance between compassion and operational needs.
Child-Specific Consideration: The loss of a child can have profound emotional effects; additional leave acknowledges this impact and supports employee recovery.
Extended Family & Non-Dependents: Provide discretionary leave for close relatives or personal friends. Set clear criteria for approval, taking into account responsibilities such as attending funerals or managing estate matters.
3. Identify Who is Eligible
Clarify which employees are eligible for bereavement leave and under what circumstances.
Employee Eligibility: Define whether full-time, part-time, or probationary employees qualify, ensuring clarity and fairness.
Dependent Definition: Clearly list immediate family members, including spouse, domestic partner, children, parents, and siblings, to avoid ambiguity.
Non-Dependent Consideration: Include extended family members, such as cousins, aunts/uncles, nieces/nephews, and close personal friends, outlining when discretionary leave may apply.
4. Set Rules for Non-Dependent Leave
Provide a structured approach for granting leave in cases not covered under standard entitlements.
Leave Range: Specify a reasonable number of discretionary days, allowing managers to assess individual circumstances fairly.
Managerial Assessment: Equip managers to evaluate requests consistently, taking into account the closeness of the relationship and responsibilities associated with the bereavement.
5. Establish a Clear Notification Process
Create a straightforward procedure for employees to request bereavement leave.
Immediate Communication: Employees should inform supervisors promptly to facilitate planning and minimise disruption.
Documentation Requirements: Decide whether proof, such as a death certificate, is required while maintaining sensitivity and privacy.
Manager Training: Ensure managers respond empathetically, striking a balance between compassion and policy adherence, particularly when addressing cultural or religious nuances.
6. Provide Additional Leave Options
Offer flexibility for employees needing extra time beyond standard bereavement leave.
Annual Leave Integration: Allow employees to combine bereavement leave with accrued annual leave, providing continuity and support.
Unpaid Leave Options: For more extended grieving periods, offer unpaid leave, subject to managerial approval, to help employees recover without work pressure.
Policy Flexibility: Ensure guidelines maintain operational continuity while accommodating unique personal circumstances.
7. Include Parental Bereavement Leave
Address the sensitive loss of a child with targeted support.
Leave Duration & Structure: Allocate leave in one block or split across two periods to accommodate emotional needs and practical responsibilities.
Timeframe for Use: Establish a clear window (e.g., within eight weeks) to ensure timely support and facilitate planning for both employee and team.
8. Add Miscarriage Support
Recognise miscarriage as a significant emotional event requiring dedicated leave.
Leave Allocation: Define the number of paid or special leave days, reflecting the emotional and physical recovery needed.
Inclusive Communication: Ensure employees feel supported without stigma, and that managers treat requests with sensitivity and confidentiality.
9. Plan the Transition Back to Work
Support employees as they reintegrate into the workplace after bereavement.
Phased Return: Allow flexibility in hours or workload based on employee readiness and role demands.
Employee Assistance Programs: Provide access to counselling and support networks to help manage emotional stress.
Health & Safety Considerations: Assess risks for roles requiring high focus or machinery operation to ensure employee and team safety.
Cultural Sensitivity: Respect rituals, observances, and individual needs, reinforcing an empathetic and inclusive workplace culture.
10. Define Non-Compliance & Consequences
Ensure the policy is consistently and fairly followed.
Policy Adherence: Emphasise that leave should be used appropriately and responsibly.
Disciplinary Measures: Outline consequences for misuse, while maintaining fairness and proportionality.
Manager Accountability: Train managers to consistently monitor compliance, balancing compassion with organisational requirements.
This template serves as a starting point for developing a bespoke bereavement leave policy that fits your organisation’s size, culture, and workforce management practices.
To implement it effectively, you can adapt the sample template provided below to reflect your company’s unique requirements, ensuring both compliance and compassionate support for employees.
Also Read: Mastering HR Policies: 8 Key Policies Every HR Leader Needs to Draft Well
A clear policy only helps if people can use it easily. The steps below focus on rollout, day-to-day use, and trust.
1) Prepare the basics
Name a policy owner, set a review date, and align the handbook, contracts, and your HRIS. Confirm how sensitive documents will be stored and who can see them. Check EAP and counselling details are current and visible.
2) Configure your systems
Create a dedicated leave type in your HR system, with options for parental bereavement and miscarriage support. Keep the request form simple. Add an approval flow with a same-day target for standard requests. Place plain-language guidance in the portal where employees actually look.
3) Equip managers
Provide a one-page guide for the first conversation, with suggested wording and what not to ask. Include FAQs on cultural observances, travel, phased returns, and handovers. Ask managers to request documentation only when strictly necessary and to handle it confidentially.
4) Communicate with care
Announce the policy with a short note from HR or the leadership team. Link to an intranet page that explains who to contact, how to request leave, and what support is available. Offer a private channel for questions and commit to a one business day reply.
5) Apply it inclusively
Acknowledge different family structures and significant non-dependent relationships. Allow time for rituals that may occur after the funeral. Pause performance expectations during leave and avoid contacting employees unless they ask for updates.
6) Monitor and improve
Track time to decision, days taken by category, and the number of exceptions granted. Review EAP uptake and a brief pulse on whether employees felt supported. Use the data to fix bottlenecks rather than to scrutinise individuals.
7) Keep guidance alive
Review the policy quarterly with input from managers and an employee representative. Update the HRIS and intranet on the same day when changes are made. Capture lessons from complex cases and refine the guidance accordingly.
Sample launch copy (internal):
We know that losing someone close is deeply personal. Our Bereavement Leave Policy is now live and provides clear time away and support when you need it. You can read the policy on the intranet under Policies or speak privately with HR. Managers have guidance to help you plan time off and a flexible return. If you need support now, contact HR or our EAP listed in the policy.
By following these steps, organisations can implement a bereavement leave policy that provides meaningful support, promotes employee well-being, and ensures consistent, fair practices across all teams.
Final Thoughts
A clear bereavement leave policy creates a compassionate workplace by giving employees the time and support needed during personal loss. Using our editable template helps standardise leave procedures, maintain fairness, and ensure consistent application across the organisation.
Although bereavement leave is not legally mandated in India, implementing such a policy reflects the company’s commitment to employee well-being. It supports staff during difficult times and reinforces a positive, empathetic organisational culture.
Disclaimer
The downloadable template and the information provided in this article are intended for general guidance and educational purposes only. They do not constitute legal advice or a legally binding document. Craze does not accept any responsibility or liability for any decisions made or actions taken based on this content. We recommend reviewing your final policy with legal or HR professionals before implementation.
Download the Policy Template Here
