Bereavement Leave

Purpose

California Government Code Section 12945.7 entitles County employees up to five days of leave upon the death of a family member. Bereavement leave is separate and distinct from Family Death Leave as covered by existing MOUs and the Personnel Ordinance.

Definitions

Family member is defined as a spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, domestic partner, or parent-in-law:

Child: A biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, a child of a domestic partner, or a person to whom the employee stands in loco parentis.

Parent: A biological, foster, or adoptive parent, a parent-in-law, a stepparent, a legal guardian, or other person who stood in loco parentis to the employee when the employee was a child.

Sibling: A person related to another person by blood, adoption, or affinity through a common legal or biological parent.

Grandparent: A parent of the employee's parent.

Grandchild: A child of the employee's child.

Domestic Partner: Two adults who have chosen to share one another's lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring.

Parent-in-law: The parent of a spouse or domestic partner.

Policy

Eligibility​

All County employees are eligible. Prior to the commencement of leave, an employee must be employed for at least 30 days.

Entitlement

An employee has the right to take up to 5 days of bereavement leave, which need not be consecutive, but shall be completed within 3 months of the date of death of the family member.

​Use of Balances

 Bereavement leave is unpaid, except that an employee may choose to use any available leave balances.

​Request Procedure

The request must be provided in writing, in accordance with department procedures, identifying the relationship of the family member and requested days off. Employees may be required to provide documentation of the death of the family member within 30 days of the first day of leave.