Bereavement is the time it takes a person to handle the passing of a loved one. It isn’t much time. It is literally just enough time to arrange for a funeral and to handle the immediate legal necessities connected to your loved one’s passing. Once the bereavement period has passed, you’ll have to return to work or arrange for personal time.
One of the nice things about working in California is that on January 1, 2023, a bereavement law went into effect. The law requires that any employer who has more than five employees must provide their employees with up to five days of bereavement time. This particular bereavement law is for the loss of a domestic partner, a close family member, or an extended family member.
In order to qualify for the five days of bereavement time, the employee must have been on the payroll for at least thirty days.
Things everyone should know about California’s bereavement laws:
- The days don’t have to be used consecutively
- The leave must be taken during the first three months of the person’s death
- Employers aren’t required to pay their employees for bereavement time.
- The employer is allowed to request proof of the loss.
If the bereavement time has passed and you still don’t feel able to return to work, you’ll have to sit down and discuss the situation with your employer. It’s possible that they’ll let you take a leave of absence, use some of your personal days, or even take your vacation days so you can deal with the loss.