Policy - Bereavement Leave
Section: Human Resource Policies
Policy Owner: Ignition633 Ministries Nigeria Human Resources
Policy Name: Bereavement Leave
Origination Date: June 2024
Purpose
This policy provides employees with appropriate support and leave benefits in the event of the death of a family member or loved one.
Scope
This Bereavement Leave Policy applies to all Ministry employees, regardless of their position or employment status. It covers provisions related to bereavement leave for the death of immediate family members, including, but not limited to, spouses, children, parents, and siblings. The policy also outlines the request process, the duration of leave entitlement, and any additional support available.
Definition
Bereavement Leave is designated time off granted to employees who have lost a loved one, such as a spouse, child, or other immediate family member. This leave covers the necessary time to grieve, manage arrangements, and attend memorials, funerals, burial services, and other related events. It also allows employees to recover emotionally before returning to work.
Immediate Family
This policy defines immediate family as father, mother, wife, husband, children, and siblings.
Eligibility and Qualification
All full-time and part-time employees are eligible for bereavement leave.
Leave Entitlement
- Eligible employees are entitled to up to ten (10) consecutive working days of paid bereavement leave per occurrence for the death of an immediate family member, as defined above. Bereavement leave will be paid at the employee's regular pay rate for the hours they would have otherwise worked during the leave period.
- Employees must notify their Supervisor, who will then inform HR if additional time off is needed beyond the ten (10) days of paid bereavement leave. Employees may use their accrued vacation or sick leave or request unpaid leave if more time is needed. If additional bereavement leave is required, the employee’s supervisor will work with HR to approve the request.
- The ten (10) consecutive days of bereavement leave can be taken at any time within the grieving period, based on the employee’s needs, provided they inform their Supervisor. This flexibility allows employees to manage their responsibilities during the mourning process.
- In long-distance travel cases, employees may take up to two additional days of leave with appropriate approval from their supervisor.
Documentation
Employees may be required to provide documentation to support the need for bereavement leave. Acceptable documentation may include a death certificate, obituary, or a note from the funeral home.
Procedure for Requesting Bereavement Leave
- We understand that the loss of a loved one is often unexpected, and advance notification for bereavement leave may not always be possible. However, employees should notify their supervisor or Director as soon as possible following the loss. The Supervisor will then notify HR so that leave requests can be discussed and allocated, and department coverage can be arranged.
- To request bereavement leave, please inform your supervisor and HR immediately. You can do this by emailing your supervisor or HR and completing a time-off request form on Bento. You may use a paper form if you do not have access to Bento (e.g., because you do not have a smartphone). If you have a smartphone but cannot access Bento, don't hesitate to get in touch with HR for assistance.
- All information related to bereavement leave will be kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know for operational purposes.
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This policy will be reviewed annually and is subject to change. Any changes will be communicated to all employees promptly.
For any questions or further assistance regarding this policy, employees should contact the HR department at hr.nigeria@ignition633.org.