Companies that offer bereavement benefits as part of their employment packages attract and retain top talent. Offering comprehensive benefits throughout the employee life cycle is an effective way to develop and maintain a loyal workforce.

This guide to bereavement leave, laws, and policies will help organizations, including those with a remote workforce, be well-prepared for when a team member needs to take this type of leave.

What is bereavement leave?

Bereavement leave is the amount of time an employee takes off from work after a loved one or family member has passed away. They use this time to grieve and/or attend a funeral service. They may also need to handle estate affairs in the aftermath of their loved one’s passing.

Most companies allow between three and five days as part of their bereavement policy. Sometimes, the leave is paid, and sometimes, it’s unpaid. HR teams should know how to answer employee questions about bereavement leave, including the allowed duration and whether the employee will get paid time off.

Bereavement leave isn’t regulated the same way in every country. If you have a globally distributed team of remote employees, then you’ll also need to know how bereavement leave works in each of those regions.