How does bereavement leave work?

Bereavement leave works by giving an employee leave due to the death of a family member or loved one. It is the time taken off so that the employee is able to grieve the loss, as well as take care of any necessary actions such as planning and executing a funeral and getting affairs in order.

Bereavement leave is not a federal law, and there are only two states that require bereavement leave at a state level. Besides Oregon and California, bereavement leave is up to the discretion of the employer. Many businesses do provide bereavement leave for their employees, and it varies greatly in scope and time off.