Note: There is no statutory entitlement to general bereavement leave other than that which already

falls within Time off for Dependents or Parental Bereavement Leave. The below are given as options
should you choose to implement a policy on this. Alternatively, you may wish to include a short
clause in a wider handbook or contract of employment.
Please see our separate Parental Bereavement Leave policy for more information on that statutory
right.

Bereavement leave policy

Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to set out the Organisation’s stance on employee
entitlements to bereavement leave. The Organisation is committed to providing
support to employees who experience loss in their lives. This policy explains rights
to time off, pay during time off and other support offered.

[Include this where a separate bereavement leave policy is in place]Please note that there is
a separate statutory right to Parental Bereavement Leave, the details of which can be
found in the ‘Parental Bereavement Leave Policy’.

[Include this where there is no separate bereavement leave policy in place] Please note that
there is a separate statutory right to Parental Bereavement Leave, the details of
which can be discussed separately.

[EITHER]
Eligibility
You may be entitled to up to (number) days (paid/unpaid) bereavement leave upon the
death of a member of your immediate family i.e., parent, partner, spouse, sibling or
child.  You should discuss your circumstances with (name) and agree appropriate
time off.

[OR]
Eligibility
Reactions to bereavement may vary greatly according to individual circumstances
and the setting of fixed rules for time off is therefore inappropriate. You should
discuss your circumstances with your Line Manager and agree appropriate time off.
  
[OR]

Customisable document taken from www.hr-inform.co.uk

This document is for your guidance only. Professional advice should be sought before use.
Eligibility
You may be entitled to up to a maximum of ............. working days paid bereavement
leave upon the death of a member of your immediate family or dependent i.e.,
parent, partner, spouse, sibling or child.  You should discuss your circumstances
with your Line Manager and agree appropriate time off.

[OR]
Eligibility
Bereavement leave is available from day one of employment OR [insert relevant
service requirement]. You may take bereavement leave in relation to the following

 [insert any relations or connections that you wish this right to be restricted to]

Length of leave and how it may be taken

A total of [insert amount of leave available] may be taken as bereavement leave and you
may choose to take leave as:

[Delete as appropriate]
 A single block of one week
 A single block of two weeks
 Two separate blocks of one week
 [insert any other length of leave you would wish to give]

Leave may start on any day of the week and must be taken in whole weeks. It may
be taken at any time in the [insert desired period] following the death.

Notification requirements
You do not need to give any advance notice of taking bereavement leave. The
Organisation asks that you contact [insert job title of person] by [delete as appropriate –
telephone, email, text message] by the time you were due to start work on the day you
wish leave to begin, or if this is not possible, as soon as is reasonably practicable,
giving the date of the death, the date on which leave will start and to discuss the
length of leave you wish to take.

Cancelling or changing leave dates

Customisable document taken from www.hr-inform.co.uk

This document is for your guidance only. Professional advice should be sought before use.
You can cancel a period of leave that you have already told us about, as long as the
period of leave has not already started, by letting us know by your normal start time
on the day that leave was originally due to start.

You can also change the start date of leave by following the notice requirements
above.

Payment during leave

[EITHER]
You will be paid [insert amount or rate they will receive] for the duration of your
bereavement leave.

[OR]
You will not receive pay during your bereavement leave.

Terms and conditions during leave

During bereavement leave, you remain entitled to receive your normal contractual
terms and conditions of employment that you would have received had you not
taken this leave, with the exception of remuneration. This will include contractual
benefits, subject to the terms of these benefits.

Right to return
Upon your return to work, you are entitled to return to the same job, with the same
terms and conditions, in which you were employed before your absence.

On your first day back to work, [insert job title of person] will set time aside to hold an
informal meeting with you to discuss any arrangements regarding your return to
work and any additional support we may be able to offer you.

[Optional] Counselling
We would like to remind you that you have access to [delete as appropriate - our in
house counselling service/the 24 hour telephone counselling service provided via [insert
details]] and we would like to encourage you to use it if you feel like you would like
to talk to someone about your loss. The service can be accessed by [insert details].

[Optional] Flexible working

Customisable document taken from www.hr-inform.co.uk

This document is for your guidance only. Professional advice should be sought before use.
We appreciate that a temporary period of flexible working may be beneficial to
employees after they have suffered a loss. If you would like to discuss this further,
please contact [insert job title of person].

Customisable document taken from www.hr-inform.co.uk

This document is for your guidance only. Professional advice should be sought before use.