Employees: bereavement leave

Eligible employees may take up to five days of bereavement leave when a person with a family-like relationship dies. Employers may limit each employee to one designated person in a 12-month period.

What the law does ​

• Adds a designated person—someone related by blood or with a family-equivalent relationship—to the definition of family member for bereavement leave.
• Lets employees identify the designated person when requesting leave.
• Preserves up to five days of leave, which may be nonconsecutive and must be completed within three months of the death.
• Bars employers from retaliating, discriminating, interfering, or denying rights tied to bereavement leave.
• Requires employers to keep leave requests and supporting death documentation confidential, subject to limited exceptions.

Who it affects ​

• Employees who have worked at least 30 days for employers with five or more workers, including the state and local governments.
• Employers with five or more employees, except for workers covered by qualifying collective bargaining agreements.