Email template · Leave and attendance
Bereavement leave email
In short
A bereavement leave approval email confirms paid or unpaid time off after a death in an employee's family: the days approved, whether they are paid, how to extend the leave and who is covering their work. Below are templates for immediate family, extended family or close friends, requests for more time, and a policy reminder.
When to send it: The same day the employee or their manager reports the death. Approve first and handle paperwork later.
Bereavement leave email: 3 versions
Immediate family
SubjectYour bereavement leave is approved
Hi [First Name], I'm very sorry for your loss. Your bereavement leave is approved, and you don't need to do anything else right now. - Days approved: [Number] paid days, [Start Date] to [End Date] - These days don't need to be consecutive. If the service is later, you can save some of them for it. Just let me know. - If you need more time, you can add PTO or unpaid leave. Reply to this email and we'll arrange it. Your manager knows you're out and your work is covered. Our Employee Assistance Program offers free, confidential support at [EAP Phone]. With sympathy, [HR Contact Name] [Title], [Company]
Extended family or close friend
SubjectTime off approved
Hi [First Name], I'm sorry to hear about your [relationship, e.g. aunt / close friend]. Your time off on [Dates] is approved as [bereavement leave / paid personal time]. If you need another day for travel or the service, just tell me and I'll take care of it. Thinking of you, [Manager or HR Name]
Extending the leave
SubjectRe: more time off
Hi [First Name], Of course. I've extended your leave through [New End Date]. Here's how it will be recorded: - [Number] days bereavement leave (paid) - [Number] days PTO - [Number] days unpaid personal leave If you would rather keep your PTO and take more unpaid days, let me know. And if you'd like to come back on a lighter schedule for the first week, we can arrange that with [Manager Name]. Take care, [HR Contact Name]
Subject line ideas
- Your bereavement leave is approved
- Time off approved
- Your leave, and our condolences
- Re: more time off
- Bereavement leave: what's available to you
- We're thinking of you
SMS and WhatsApp version
Hi [First Name], I'm so sorry for your loss. Your bereavement leave from [Start Date] to [End Date] is approved and your shifts are covered. Need more time? Just reply. - [HR Contact Name]
Placeholders to replace: [First Name], [Number], [Start Date], [End Date], [New End Date], [Dates], [relationship], [EAP Phone], [Manager Name], [HR Contact Name], [Title], [Company]
Approve first, ask questions later
The worst version of this process asks a grieving employee to fill out a form, attach a death certificate and wait for a decision. Approve the leave the day it is reported, confirm the details in writing and deal with any documentation after they are back, if you need it at all.
The manager should send a short personal note first; our condolence email to an employee covers that message. The approval from HR follows, and it should answer every practical question in one go so the employee doesn't have to read the handbook.
Typical policies
There is no federal law in the US requiring bereavement leave, so most of it is set by employer policy. A common pattern is three to five paid days for immediate family (spouse or partner, child, parent, sibling, often in-laws and grandparents) and one to three days for extended family. Many employers add travel days when the funeral is far away, and an increasing number include pregnancy loss and allow time for close friends. Our glossary entry on bereavement leave has more on policy design.
Practical policies let days be split. Funerals and memorials often happen weeks after a death, especially when family must travel.
State laws to check
A few states now require bereavement leave. California requires employers with five or more employees to provide up to five days of bereavement leave for the death of a covered family member, to be taken within three months, and employers may ask for documentation within 30 days. Oregon includes bereavement leave in its family leave law, and Illinois has a family bereavement leave law that also covers pregnancy loss and certain other events. Some cities and states also allow paid sick leave to be used for bereavement. Rules vary by state and change often, so check each location where you have employees before you finalize the wording.
What to include in the email
- Days approved and whether they are paid.
- Flexibility: whether days must be consecutive and when they must be used.
- How to get more time, using PTO or unpaid leave, without a new request form.
- Coverage, so the employee knows work is handled.
- Employee Assistance Program contact.
- Nothing about documentation, unless your policy or a state law requires it, and then only with a generous deadline and a choice of acceptable documents (an obituary or funeral program is usually enough).
Recording the leave
Enter the leave in your attendance system the same day so the employee isn't scored as a no-show while at a funeral. That happens more often than it should in operations with automated attendance points. If you use a standard leave approval email process for PTO, route bereavement separately so it doesn't get stuck in the same queue as vacation requests. For employees with ongoing caregiving duties before the death, check whether any of the absence was FMLA-qualifying.
Mistakes to avoid
- A transactional tone. Lead with sympathy, then logistics.
- Demanding proof before approving.
- Narrow family definitions applied inconsistently by different supervisors.
- Forgetting to tell the scheduler, so the employee gets a call asking where they are.
Frequently asked questions
How do you approve bereavement leave by email?
Start with condolences, then confirm the days approved, whether they are paid, whether they can be split, how to get more time and that work is covered. Include Employee Assistance Program details.
How many days of bereavement leave are typical?
Three to five paid days for immediate family is a common benchmark, with one to three days for extended family. Some employers offer more, and some states set a legal minimum.
Is compassionate leave the same as bereavement leave?
Often the terms are used interchangeably. Some employers use compassionate leave more broadly to cover serious illness of a family member as well as death.
Can an employer ask for proof of death for bereavement leave?
Many can, but it is rarely worth the friction. Where a state law allows it, such as California, there are limits on timing. Accept simple documents like an obituary or funeral program.
Is bereavement leave required by law?
Not under US federal law. A few states, including California, Oregon and Illinois, require it for covered employers. Check the rules in each state where you have employees.