who is entitled to bereavement leave, when, for how long, and what employers must do?
Although existing law allows employees to take time off from work without fear of discharge or discrimination for a number of specified purposes, there is currently no law that requires employers to grant time off for bereavement leave. Among the programs currently allowing workers to take unpaid leave is the California Pregnancy Disability Leave program, which provides unpaid time off for women disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Additionally, the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the California Family Rights Act require all public and private sector employers with 50 or more employees to grant employees up to 12 weeks per year of unpaid leave for qualified purposes. Although many employers offer some sort of bereavement leave to their employees, no federal or state law currently requires employers to provide bereavement leave. That may change soon. In February 2010, Assemblyman Bill Monning (D- 27th District) introduced Assembly Bill 2340, which w
