Bereavement time off
Table of Contents
Requesting bereavement time off
Using other time offs for bereavement
Bereavement time off during probationary or trial service period
Last updated: June 27, 2025
Overview
Starting July 1, 2025, the University grants eligible staff up to five days of bereavement time off for the death of a family member or for loss of pregnancy. For the purposes of bereavement, a qualifying pregnancy is defined as the pregnancy of the employee, including a surrogate, or employee parent-to-be, including through surrogacy or adoption, where the employee would have been the parent.
Bereavement time off is separate from your accrued sick and vacation time off. The amount of paid bereavement for regular staff depends on their employment program and is subject to bargaining. Updates to the table below will be made as bereavement time off provisions are updated or bargained.
Entitlement for regular staff
| Employment Program or CBA | Days of paid bereavement |
|---|---|
| Classified Non-Union | 5 days |
| Professional Staff | 5 days |
| SEIU Local 925 | 3 days |
| WFSE | 3 days |
| SEIU 1199 NW HMC | 3 days |
| SEIU 1199 NW UWMC-NW | 3 days |
| SEIU 1199NW Research and Husky Health | 3 days |
| WSNA Montlake | 3 days |
| WSNA Northwest | 3 days |
| UAW RSE | 3 days |
| SEIU 925 Libraries PLEs | 3 days |
| SEIU IHME | 3 days |
| WFSE Police Management | 3 days |
| IBU | 5 days |
| Teamsters 117 Police | 3 days |
| SAG-AFTRA | 3 days |
| SEIU 925 Continuum College | 3 days |
| SEIU 925 Advisors | 3 days |
| ICA Contract Staff | 5 days |
| Husky Health Physicians | 5 days |
| Teamsters 117 Print Plant | 5 days |
| UAW Postdocs | 5 days |
Entitlement for nonpermanent and fixed term staff
Employees in nonpermanent and intermittent classified non-union positions, nonpermanent fixed duration positions represented by SEIU 925 and salaried fixed term professional staff temporary positions are also eligible for bereavement time off in accordance with their collective bargaining agreement or employment program.
Definition of family member
| If you are . . . | Your covered family member is . . . |
|---|---|
| Classified Non-Union | Defined by Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 357-01-072 and 357-01-172. |
| Contract Covered staff | Determined by your collective bargaining agreement |
| Other staff | “Family member” is defined as a child or parent (including biological, adopted, foster, step, regardless of age or dependency, or legal guardian, or de facto parent or parent-in-law), a spouse, state registered domestic partner, spouse’s parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling, child’s spouse, or child’s registered domestic partner. “Family member” includes any individual who regularly resides in the employee’s home or where the relationship creates an expectation that the employee care for the person, and that individual depends on the employee for care. “Family member” does not include an individual who simply resides in the same home with no expectation that the employee cares for the individual. |
Requesting bereavement time off
Bereavement time off must be taken in full-day increments.
- For campus staff: To request bereavement time off, follow your department’s usual request procedures and select “Bereavement Time Off” in Workday.
- For medical centers staff: To request bereavement time off, follow your department’s usual request procedures.
Your manager may require verification of the family member or household member’s death.
Using other time offs for bereavement
Speak to your manager if you would like to use another type of time off for bereavement or condolence purposes. You may be able to use sick or other time off if:
- Your loved one is not covered by your employment program’s or collective bargaining agreement’s definition of family member
- Your bereavement time off entitlement does not adequately cover your bereavement obligations, such as having to travel a long distance
Bereavement time off during probationary or trial service period
You are eligible to take time off for bereavement during your probationary or trial service period; however, your probationary or trial service period lengthens by the number of bereavement days you take.
2025 Policy changes to paid bereavement
Effective July 1, 2025, WAC 357-31-250 allows classified non-union employees up to 5 days of paid bereavement time off for the death of a family member. A policy decision has been made to bargain changes for other staff and align the Professional Staff with these changes.
Policy Requirements
Classified Non-Union employees: This policy is intended to comply with WAC 357-31-100 and WAC 357-31-250.
Contract covered employees: When this policy conflicts with Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs), Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs), the CBA or MOU will take precedence over this policy as long as it does not violate the law. When CBAs or MOUs are silent regarding the specific requirements of this policy, the policy will take precedence.