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Bereavement/Funeral Leave Policy (University)

Policy Information

Policy Number: 09.07
Issued Date: 07/01/2006

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Policy Statement

Duke provides between three to five days off with pay to staff in hourly-paid positions to handle matters related to a death in the family. The amount of time provided is based on relationship to the family member. Staff in monthly-salaried positions may use accrued sick leave for bereavement leave.

Policy Details

Health System staff receive time off through Duke's Paid Time Off (PTO) plan - a program that combines vacation, holiday, bereavement, and sick time.

University staff should refer to the following information concerning bereavement leaves from Duke.

Bereavement Leave Guidelines for Hourly-Paid Staff

Relationship: Immediate Family Member (spouse, registered same-sex partner, child/stepchild, parent/stepparent, brother/stepbrother, or sister/stepsister)

  • Any missed workdays (up to 40 hours) that happen to fall within five consecutive calendar days of the death or funeral of immediate family members may be used as Bereavement Leave.
  • A maximum of five consecutive calendar days may be taken at the staff member's convenience as long as one of the days includes either the day of death or the day of the funeral.

Note: For purposes of this policy, "child" also includes an adopted child and a child for whom the staff member was a legal guardian.

Relationship: Other Family Member (grandparent, great-grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or uncle/aunt)

  • Any missed workdays (up to 24 hours) that happen to fall within three consecutive calendar days of the death or funeral of other family members may be used as Bereavement Leave.
  • A maximum of three consecutive calendar days may be taken at the staff member's convenience as long as one of the days includes either the day of death or the day of the funeral.

Pay

  • Pay for missed work time will be charged to Bereavement Leave at the staff member's straight-time rate. Shift differential and weekend work premium are not applicable.
  • Should the death of a relative occur while the staff member is on a scheduled vacation, the staff member should immediately notify his or her supervisor so that necessary time off (up to the maximums mentioned above) may be charged to Bereavement Leave.
  • In the event that a Bereavement Leave day falls on a designated holiday, the holiday overrides the Bereavement Leave day.

Scheduled Time Off and Bereavement Leave

  • Approved time for Bereavement Leave is considered Scheduled Time Off.

Requesting Additional Time Off

  • Should additional time off be necessary for a staff member to attend the funeral, such additional time off may be requested either as vacation or as authorized time off without pay.
  • Such requests should be arranged with the staff member's supervisor who will try to accommodate the request.

Service Announcement or Program

  • To verify the relationship of the deceased to the staff member, a funeral program or obituary may be required by the staff member's supervisor.

Where this verification is not easily obtained, the staff member may contact Staff and Labor Relations for assistance in securing the requested information.

Bereavement Leave Guidelines for Monthly-Salaried Staff

  • University monthly-salaried staff may use accrued and unused sick leave or vacation for bereavement leave.
  • Time away is arranged between the staff member and his or her supervisor.

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