The District government is committed to supporting employees during times of personal loss. To that end, District government employees may be eligible for paid funeral leave to make arrangements for and attend funeral services following the death of a loved one, or for paid bereavement leave to mourn a stillbirth or the loss of a child. This issuance outlines employee entitlements and procedures for requesting and recording funeral and bereavement leave.

Employees may request funeral or bereavement leave in the following circumstances:

• Funeral Leave. To make arrangements for or attend the funeral or memorial service of an immediate relative. (Employees are entitled to up to 3 days of paid funeral leave. In addition, agencies shall grant an employee an additional 2 days of time-off using the employee’s own leave unless the mission of the agency would be seriously impaired.)
• Bereavement Leave. To grieve the death of a child under the age of 21 or a stillbirth. (Employees are entitled to up to 10 days of paid bereavement leave.)

Employees are considered to be in an active status while on funeral and bereavement leave. This leave is not deducted from annual or sick leave balances and is provided in addition to other forms of paid or unpaid leave. Employees may request additional time off using other leave types, as described below.

In addition to the three days of funeral leave, agencies shall grant an employee’s request for up to 2 additional days of leave using annual leave, sick leave, exempt time off, or compensatory time, unless doing so would seriously impair the agency’s mission. These additional days are not automatic and must be requested by the employee.

When approved, funeral leave covers all previously scheduled hours during the leave period, including previously scheduled overtime hours. However, employees are not eligible to receive overtime pay for hours covered by funeral leave.

Employees may be approved for funeral leave for each qualifying immediate relative, provided the request meets the eligibility criteria and any applicable documentation requirements as required by the agency.

Bereavement Leave (Child Loss or Stillbirth)

Employees are entitled to up to 10 workdays of paid bereavement leave following the death of a child under the age of 21 or a stillbirth. This leave is available only to employees who meet the eligibility criteria based on their relationship with the child or stillbirth, as defined below. For the purposes of this entitlement:

• A “child” includes the biological, adopted, or stepchild of the employee or the employee’s spouse, or a person for whom the employee stands in loco parentis (a person who assumes the obligations incident to the parental relation without legal adoption).

• A “stillbirth” is defined as the loss of a pregnancy at 20 weeks gestation or later for an employee who was pregnant with the fetus; who is the spouse or domestic partner of the individual who was pregnant with the fetus; or who intended to assume parental responsibilities for the fetus had the fetus been born alive.

Bereavement leave must be used within 60 calendar days of the death or stillbirth. It is separate from, and does not count against, the D.C. Family and Medical Leave Act (DC FMLA) unpaid leave entitlement or any paid family or medical leave entitlement.

Step 1: Submit a Request

Employees must submit a request for funeral or bereavement leave to their supervisor as soon as possible. Requests should be submitted through PeopleSoft or in accordance with agency-specific procedures.

Step 2: Provide Documentation (as required)

Agencies may establish internal policies outlining when and what type of documentation is required to support funeral or bereavement leave requests. A clear, agency-wide documentation policy helps ensure appropriate use of leave and promotes consistent, equitable review of all requests. If documentation is required, employees should provide it promptly and in accordance with agency procedures. Agencies must apply documentation requirements consistently and equitably and should remain mindful of the sensitive nature of these requests. When determining whether to request documentation, agencies should consider past practices and consult with their General Counsel to ensure that policies are applied in a non-discriminatory manner.

For requests involving individuals who fall under the “similar familial relationship” category of the immediate relative definition, agencies may request additional information to support the nature of the relationship. “Similar familial relationship” in the context of funeral leave means an individual with a blood or legal relationship with the employee like those provided in the definition (i.e., father in-law, mother in-law, son/daughter in-law, brother/sister in-law, etc.). Agencies are strongly encouraged to consult with their General Counsel and develop a clear, agency-wide policy that outlines acceptable forms of documentation and ensures consistent application across all employees.

Step 3: Record Leave Taken

Employees must record approved funeral or bereavement leave in PeopleSoft using the appropriate Time Reporting Code (TRC):

When an employee has exhausted all funeral leave and/or bereavement leave entitlements, agencies may authorize other available paid leave such as sick, annual, compensatory time, or exempt time off, in addition to alternatives such as Leave Without Pay (LWOP), or advanced annual or sick leave for qualifying circumstances. Agencies must follow the applicable DPM rules and regulations when approving these options.

Sick Leave for the Death of a Family Member

Agencies shall grant sick leave to an employee for up to three workdays (24 hours) in the event of a death of a family member, provided the employee provides evidence that is acceptable to the agency. This entitlement, which may be used for grieving or other related needs, is separate from funeral or bereavement leave and is governed by DPM § 1242.1(g). Agencies must apply consistent standards when determining what constitutes acceptable evidence. The term “family member is defined in DPM § 1299 as:

• The spouse (including the person identified by an employee as his or her “domestic partner” as defined in D.C. Official Code § 32-701 (2006)) and parents thereof;
• Children (including foster children) and spouses thereof;
• Parents, brothers and sisters and spouses thereof; and
• Any individual related by blood.

If a provision of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) differs from this issuance, the CBA shall take precedence for covered employees.

• Statutory Authority: D.C. Official Code § 1-612.03(n)–(n-1)
• Regulatory Authority: DPM Chapter 12, § 1261 – Funeral and Bereavement Leave

For questions or additional guidance, please contact the DCHR Policy and Compliance Administration at (202) 442-9700 or email [email protected].