Bereavement Leave: BL meaning, policy, and duration in India

Supporting employees through times of loss shows compassion and respect. Employers who recognize this need often include Bereavement Leave (BL) in their policies to support employees during grief.

Bereavement Leave offers time and space to process loss without the added worry of work, fostering a caring workplace culture that values employees' emotional needs. This guide elaborates on what BL is, why it’s important, who is eligible, and how companies can incorporate the leave in their policies.

Bereavement leave meaning

Bereavement leave is a type of leave provided by employers to employees upon the death of a close family member. This leave aims to help employees cope with the grief of losing a loved one before they return to work.

Unlike other types of leave, it is not credited on a monthly or yearly basis but is granted only in the event of such a loss.

In India, while some government organisations and private employers include bereavement leave in their policies, it is not legally mandated by labour laws. The inclusion of this leave in policies is at the discretion of the employer. When offered, BL is considered a paid leave, but unused BL is not eligible for leave encashment. 

Importance of bereavement leave policy

Bereavement leaves help employees mourn the loss of their loved ones without facing any financial strain. Here are the reasons why you must consider including BL in your employee leave policy:

1. Allows to grieve the loss: Employers offer this leave to give employees the time they need to grieve the loss of a loved one. As a paid leave, it helps employees feel secure about their jobs while they grieve.
2. Permits time for funeral arrangements: Performing rituals and arranging for funeral rites requires time. Acknowledging the traditions and sentiments of employees, employers should provide them with this time. This serves as a gesture of respect toward the individual’s personal beliefs.
3. Recover from emotional loss: Dealing with the death of a loved one can be emotionally overwhelming. Bereavement leave provides employees with the necessary time to process their grief and begin emotional recovery without the added stress of returning to work immediately.

Bereavement leave rules in India

Labour laws in India do not mandate the provision for bereavement leave. It is up to the employers to decide whether to include or exclude it from their company’s leave policies. However, when an employer includes Bereavement Leave (BL) in their leave policies, the following aspects must be considered:

• Employment status

Usually, employers grant this type of leave to full-time and regular employees. On the flip side, part-time, contractual or temporary employees may be restricted from availing BL.

• Type of family member

Employees may avail this leave to cope with the death of immediate family members like parents, siblings, children or spouses. In special cases, certain companies extend this leave to the demise of grandparents and in-laws followed by aunts and uncles.

• Time of service

Employers often prepare leave policies that mandate a minimum period of continuous service or completion of the probation period of an employee before they can apply for bereavement leave. Several companies mandate a minimum of 6 months of continuous service for employees to be eligible for it.

• Leave request submission

Employees are generally required to submit a formal leave request over an email or through the company-recognised employee self-service portals. This request typically includes details such as the relationship to the deceased and the expected duration of the leave.

Who is considered immediate family for bereavement leave?

Close relatives such as a spouse, parents, siblings, and children are considered immediate family under bereavement leave policies. However, many Indian companies also allow bereavement leave for the loss of extended family members, such as grandparents and in-laws.

Eligibility and duration of bereavement leave

In the circumstance of the demise of an immediate family member, employers allow bereavement leave to their employees as paid leaves to grieve the loss. However, the duration of this leave varies from one company to another.

Some companies offer bereavement leave ranging from 1 to 10 days, while others provide a shorter duration, typically between 3 to 7 days. For instance, Indian Railways offers 7 days of bereavement leave for the death of a spouse or children, 3 days for parents and 1 day for other family members.

Employers additionally grant longer BL to employees if the place of a funeral is distant from the place of residence and work. However, these are subject to specific leave policies and approval by the management of the company. 

As an Indian employer, you can design your leave policies with or without bereavement leave. You may have to further decide on the number of days for bereavement leave to ensure employee well-being while balancing the day-to-day operations of your organisation.

Frequently asked questions on Bereavement Leave