Death in the Immediate Family or Household

This policy applies to: All regular full-time and part-time staff members. (Individuals represented by collective bargaining agreements receive benefits in accordance with those agreements.)

I. Policy

Time off without loss of base wage or salary will be granted to a regular full-time or part-time staff member who suffers the loss of an immediate family or household member. This time off with pay is intended to allow for participation in events related to the death and funeral and is not to be granted if no such participation occurs.

II. Guidelines

A. Definition: This policy applies to immediate family only, which is defined as the staff member’s spouse or domestic partner and the staff member and spouse/domestic partner’s parent (including biological, foster, adoptive, stepparent, in-law or legal guardian), sibling (including brother, sister, in-law or stepsibling), child (including biological, adopted, foster, stepchild, in-law or legal ward), grandparent (including in-law), grandchild, and any household member who was a permanent resident of the staff member’s principal residence at the time of death. For the purposes of this policy, household member is defined as a person who lives in the employee’s principal residence with the intention of maintaining a permanent relationship and is either (a) jointly responsible for maintaining the common welfare and financial obligations of the household or (b) dependent upon the employee for care and financial assistance.

Questions about whether a loss qualifies under this policy should be directed to your HR Business Partner or Leave Administration.

B. Excused Time Off

1. Up to three scheduled workdays may be excused by the department head without loss of base wages or salary. If additional time is needed, vacation time, as applicable, or leave of absence without pay may be requested
2. Time-as-reported (TAR) and temporary personnel may be granted time off without pay for up to three scheduled workdays

C. If a death in the immediate family occurs while the staff member is on scheduled vacation time, the excused absence with pay under this policy may be granted in lieu of vacation.

D. If out of state travel to attend the funeral is required and the maximum allowable time off under this policy is insufficient to permit timely round trip travel, up to two (2) additional days off may be granted to hourly paid (non-exempt) staff, as provided in Policy #115, Procedures for Attendance That May Be affected by Severe Weather Conditions and Other Emergencies.

III. Procedures

A. Time Reporting:

1. Such absences should be reported with the number of hours and time reporting code of ‘BVH’ for non-exempt hourly paid staff. Salaried staff would use the code ‘BVS’.
2. In the event additional time is granted to an hourly paid (non-exempt) staff member in accordance with Policy #115 (see II, D. above), the absence should be reported with the number of hours and time reporting code ‘EXC’.

B. Calculation of Pay: Shift differential will be included in the calculation of the excused absence pay when the staff member’s schedule qualifies for the shift differential.

C. Supervisors should be certain of an employee’s entitlement to paid time off under this policy before offering consent or agreement. It may be appropriate in some situations to require verification of the death of a member of an employee’s immediate family (as defined above), as well as the employee’s participation in funeral arrangements, etc.

See also:

• #115 Procedures for Attendance That May be Affected by Severe Weather Conditions and Other Emergencies
• #357 Leaves of Absence