COUNTY OF SAN MATEO
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
Inter-Departmental Correspondence
DATE: April 21, 2014
TO: All Management Employees
FROM: Nicole McKay, Employee & Labor Relations Manager
SUBJECT: Employee Relations Bulletin 22 Bereavement Leave
This bulletin is to clarify the use of sick leave for attending the funeral of a friend or family member who is not a member of the employee’s immediate family.
The County Ordinance Code and the various MOUs provide that sick leave may be used for the employee’s preparation for or attendance at the funeral of a member of the immediate family. Immediate family is defined as parent, spouse, domestic partner, son, daughter, sibling, step child, mother-in-law, father-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild.
Even though sick leave may not be used for attending the funeral of individuals who do not meet the definition above, use of accrued vacation, compensatory time or holiday time is appropriate. Managers and supervisors are strongly urged to make every effort to allow employees to be excused from work for attending funerals of friends and relatives who are not members of the immediate family.
In addition, many of the Memorandums of Understanding contain a provision for Bereavement Leave which states that the County will provide up to two days paid bereavement leave upon the death of an employee’s parent, spouse, domestic partner, child or step-child. However this does not pertain to all County employees, so please reference your bargaining unit’s Memorandum of Understanding, or contact your Employee Relations Analyst for clarification.