Is Bereavement Leave Paid? What US, UK, Canadian, and Australian Workers Get

The Short Answer: Usually Not by Law, Often by Policy

There is no federal law in the United States requiring employers to provide paid — or even unpaid — bereavement leave. What you actually receive depends on your state, your employer's policy, and sometimes your union contract.

State protections vary. California, Illinois, Oregon, and Vermont provide bereavement-specific leave, with accrued paid leave available under applicable rules. Maryland requires covered employers that provide paid leave to let employees use earned leave after the death of a child, spouse, or parent. Minnesota employees may use accrued paid ESST for funeral arrangements, a service or memorial, or related financial or legal matters after a family death. Washington has no general statewide bereavement-leave mandate for all employers; state civil-service employees covered by Title 357 WAC receive five paid days after a family or household member's death or a qualifying pregnancy loss. The PFML program has a narrow seven-day family-leave option after the death of a child the employee could have bonded with.

Despite the legal gaps, some employers offer paid bereavement leave, typically three to five days for immediate family. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 60% of private-industry workers had access to paid funeral leave in 2012.

Country-by-Country Breakdown

United Kingdom: In Great Britain, a qualifying parent after a child under 18 dies or a stillbirth occurs after 24 weeks can take up to two weeks of Parental Bereavement Leave from their first day of employment, to be completed within 56 weeks. From 6 April 2026, Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay is £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for eligible employees. Northern Ireland has separate eligibility rules. For other deaths, employees may have a right to reasonable unpaid time off for dependants under the Employment Rights Act 1996; most employers grant one to five paid days through their own policies.

Canada: Federally regulated employees get up to 10 days of bereavement leave for an immediate-family death; the first three days are paid after three months of continuous service. An eligible employee may take up to 8 weeks after a child's death, within 12 weeks after the latest funeral, burial, or memorial. Provincial rules vary — Ontario provides two unpaid days, British Columbia provides three unpaid days, and Quebec offers two paid days plus three unpaid days for immediate family.

Australia: The National Employment Standards provide two days of compassionate leave per occasion. It is paid for full-time and part-time employees and unpaid for casual employees. This includes an employee's miscarriage or their current spouse or de facto partner's miscarriage, as well as qualifying deaths and life-threatening illness of immediate family or household members.

When Your Employer Offers More Than the Law Requires

Many employers, particularly in professional services, tech, and finance, have bereavement policies that exceed statutory minimums. Some provide up to four weeks for the loss of a spouse or child. Check your employee handbook, HR portal, or union contract before assuming you are limited to the statutory minimum.

If your employer's policy is silent on bereavement, you can still request time off using accrued sick days, PTO, or vacation time. In states without bereavement laws, FMLA may apply if grief triggers a qualifying health condition documented by your healthcare provider.

Negotiating More Time When the Standard Policy Falls Short

Three to five days is rarely enough when you are also managing estate settlement, probate filings, and the cognitive effects of acute grief. If you need more time, put your request in writing to HR and frame it around specific obligations — court dates, financial institution appointments, or healthcare provider visits — rather than open-ended grief.

The Returning to Work After Bereavement toolkit includes communication scripts for requesting leave extensions and phased returns, along with a deadline tracker that maps the estate tasks you are juggling against your work calendar.