Creating an Inclusive Bereavement Policy for Your Facility

Losing a loved one is a difficult experience for anyone to go through, and healthcare workers are no exception. As a facility leader, it’s important to provide the same compassion and understanding that your staff exhibit toward their patients each day. Beyond granting time off for grief and loss, facilities must create an inclusive bereavement policy that allows employees to fully tend to their emotional and logistical needs.

Since bereavement leave isn’t nationally standardized, policies can look different from facility to facility. We’ll provide an overview of what bereavement leave is and share tips on implementing an effective policy that is mutually beneficial for you and your staff.

What Is Bereavement Leave?

Bereavement leave is a workplace policy granting employees paid or unpaid time-off to grieve the loss of someone close to them. Employees take this time to not only take care of their mental health, but also to attend to other financial or legal tasks such as funeral planning.

Federally, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) doesn’t mandate leave related to bereavement. Additionally, few states have implemented bereavement-specific labor laws that cover various situations related to loss.

Because of this, bereavement policies are most often dictated at the facility level. Policies are often included and outlined in an employee’s benefit package or handbook, which are typically covered during orientation.

Why Should Facilities Create a Bereavement Policy?

Healthcare is an industry where workers already deal with emotionally taxing situations on a regular basis. Experiencing personal loss on top of such a demanding job can have long-term impacts on mental health and lead to turnover if staff aren’t well-supported by their employers.

Thus, creating a comprehensive and inclusive bereavement policy is crucial for the wellbeing of staff. It also helps them to return to work more engaged and prepared to provide quality care for their patients.

Creating An Inclusive Bereavement Policy: 5 Tips

To ensure your staff have ample time and resources to cope with grief and loss, consider these tips when creating a bereavement policy at your facility.

1. Be Flexible With How Staff Take Time Off

According to a survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 88% of companies offer bereavement leave ranging between three to five days. But considering all of the emotional, financial, legal, and travel-related tasks that are typically associated with losing a loved one, a few days is simply not enough time to process grief.

Illinois has set a higher bar, requiring two weeks of bereavement leave for a variety of situations involving loss. Even if your facility isn’t based in Illinois, going beyond the three- to five-day standard can make a big difference for your staff. If your financial resources are limited, you can also consider implementing a mix of paid and unpaid time off.

Additionally, dealing with loss is an individualized experience and the emotional impact of grief often comes in waves. To accommodate this, create a policy that grants staff the choice to take their days off intermittently if they don’t want to take them consecutively.

2. Expand Circumstances That Warrant Time Off

Traditionally, most policies have only allowed time off for the loss of immediate or extended family members. Who is considered immediate family for bereavement leave also varies by state and company. However, everyone experiences personal relationships differently, and individuals may often need to take time off for other types of loss.

It’s important to consider sources of grief that go beyond “traditional” circumstances. When creating a more inclusive bereavement policy, example scenarios might also include situations such as pregnancy loss, pet loss, or failed adoption.

In healthcare, staff also deal with a lot of work-related grief. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare personnel were witnessing monumental patient death tolls and even the loss of colleagues. While healthcare workers are trained to build resilience in their profession, bereavement leave may be necessary to process more extreme situations. This can help prevent compassion fatigue and burnout, which are two common issues driving staff away from the industry.

3. Don’t Ask for Proof of Death

When outlining your process for how employees should take bereavement leave, avoid asking for proof of death. Sending over a death certificate or a published obituary can feel uncomfortable and vulnerable for employees who are already going through a difficult situation.

Alternatively, you could consider requesting supplemental travel documentation if employees are taking extended time off in certain situations. Here’s a template for how this could be worded in your policy:

Please inform your manager and the HR department via email as soon as you know you will be taking bereavement leave. We do not require proof of death. In certain circumstances, we may ask for proof of travel if you request additional time off extending beyond the leave period.

4. Facilitate the Return-To-Work Period

To make your bereavement policy more comprehensive, you may also consider measures that facilitate the transition back to work. This may be implemented similarly to how light duty restrictions are created for workers recovering from physical injury.

In healthcare settings, some patient assignments may be emotionally difficult for a staff member to handle right away. Consider implementing a system that allows staff to place requests about their patient assignments if they’re feeling overwhelmed after returning from bereavement leave.

5. Offer Employer-Funded Counseling

Many facilities offer an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides staff with employer-funded mental health services. It’s important to outline or emphasize these resources in your bereavement policy so that staff needing support can easily contact counselors. Here is some sample language that you can adapt for your facility’s policy:

We recognize that not everyone requires counseling to cope with grief. However, if you are seeking professional support, our EAP program covers the cost of up to [insert number] counseling sessions with [insert covered practices]. If you would like to schedule sessions, you can do so by logging into [company HR portal].

Discover More Ways to Build a Healthy Work Environment

Creating an inclusive bereavement policy is one of many ways to support your staff’s well being. Don’t miss out on IntelyCare’s other free tips, strategies, and guides on building a healthier work environment.