Bereavement Leave Washington State: Employer Policies and a Narrow Paid Leave Option

What Washington State Provides

Washington has no general bereavement-leave mandate for all employers. State civil-service employees covered by Title 357 WAC receive five paid days when a family or household member dies or for a qualifying pregnancy loss under WAC 357-31-250, effective July 1, 2025; WAC 357-01-172 includes parents-in-law in the family definition. Other employees should check employer policy and local ordinances. Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) does not cover bereavement generally, but an eligible employee may use up to seven calendar days of family leave after a child's death if they would have qualified for prenatal or postnatal medical leave for that birth, bonding leave within the first 12 months after birth, or bonding leave within the first 12 months after a child under 18 was placed in their home or adopted.

The seven-day benefit is limited to that child-loss situation; it does not apply to the death of another family member. PFML eligibility and the remaining balance in the employee's claim year still apply.

Covered Relationships

For PFML's child-loss benefit, a parent-in-law or other family member's death does not qualify. State civil-service employees have a separate five-day paid bereavement benefit for a parent-in-law under WAC 357-31-250 and WAC 357-01-172.

How the Unpaid and Paid Benefits Layer

If the child-loss PFML provision applies, contact the Employment Security Department for current application and benefit instructions. Other time away may be available under employer policy, accrued paid leave, or a separate qualifying medical leave.

Documentation and Employer Notification

For the child-loss PFML claim, the state may request information or documentation about the date of death and eligibility; follow the current application instructions. For state civil-service bereavement leave, the employer may require verification under its leave policy. Documentation for other employer-provided bereavement leave depends on the applicable policy or local ordinance.

Beyond the Initial Leave

The initial leave period may not cover later estate tasks. If grief develops into a serious health condition, a separate medical-leave claim may be available if you meet the program's eligibility and certification requirements.

The Returning to Work After Bereavement toolkit maps the full administrative timeline against your work calendar, so you can plan which estate tasks need in-person attention during leave days and which you can handle remotely during a phased return.