bereavement leave

USAGE SUMMARY

'bereavement leave' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to refer to a period of time off work granted to an employee when a family member passes away. For example: "My employer was very understanding and gave me two weeks of bereavement leave to spend time with my family after my mother passed away."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

54 human-written examples

Punishing Good Deeds A co-worker took bereavement leave after her sister's sudden and unexpected death.

The New York Times

Campaigners have recently been pressing for laws giving the right to paid bereavement leave.

The Guardian - Money

Marbury went back on bereavement leave the next day and had not been with the team since.

The New York Times - Sports

"We needed to start playing better," said Reyes, who returned from a three-day bereavement leave with a single, a walk and a run.

The New York Times - Sports

A recent poll conducted by the Change Bereavement Leave campaign found that 71% of people believed the law should be changed.

The Guardian - Money

On bereavement leave from the hospital, Mrs. Crisci was afraid to return to work for fear she would make a fatal mistake.

The New York Times

"It's not until you've been there that you know what you might not be entitled to – how many of us pick up our work contract and check how much bereavement leave you get?

Independent

Such a staggering amount of public support makes it all the more unbelievable that currently there is no legal entitlement to paid bereavement leave in the UK at all.

The Guardian - Opinion

Gay rights advocates said the decision could affect employer-provided housing, some family-oriented benefits like bereavement leave and perquisites like club and gym memberships that are extended to spouses.

The New York Times

The research – Life after death: six steps to improve support in bereavement – found that a third of employees who suffered a bereavement in the past five years felt they had not been treated with compassion by their employer; while 87% of those surveyed believed all employers should have a compassionate employment policy, to include paid bereavement leave.

The Guardian - Money

"Many employers act admirably and offer significant amounts of paid bereavement leave.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place the phrase after verbs like "take", "grant", "request" or "return from" to describe the action of using the benefit.

Common error

Avoid using "bereavement leave" as a synonym for "funeral". While the funeral is often the reason for the leave, the leave itself covers the period of absence from work. Do not say "I am going to a bereavement leave" when you mean you are attending a service.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "bereavement leave" serves as a compound noun or noun phrase that acts as a specific label for an employment benefit. In sentence structures, it typically functions as the direct object of a verb (e.g., "taking leave") or the object of a preposition (e.g., "on leave"). Ludwig AI confirms that it is a standard term used to categorize a period of absence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

0%

Social Media

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "bereavement leave" is an essential and grammatically correct term in the English language, used to describe the period of absence granted to employees following a death in their family. Data from Ludwig shows it is ubiquitous in professional journalism and corporate policies, reflecting its status as a standard HR term. Whether used in sports reporting to explain a player's absence or in a legal context to discuss worker rights, it maintains a consistent meaning of sanctioned time for mourning and logistics. Ludwig AI verifies its correctness and suggests that while synonyms like "compassionate leave" exist, "bereavement leave" remains the most precise choice for loss-related absences in both American and British English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

paid time off for bereavement

Adds specific emphasis on the compensation aspect of the leave.

time off for a death in the family

A descriptive, less technical version of the phrase often used in verbal communication.

compassionate leave

Uses a broader term often used in the UK and Australia to include time off for seriously ill relatives in addition to deaths.

compassionate leave of absence

A more formal and bureaucratic phrasing typically found in legal or union contracts.

grief leave

Emphasizes the emotional state of the employee rather than the logistical act of bereavement.

mourning leave

Highlighting the cultural or ritualistic period following a death.

funeral leave

Focuses specifically on the time needed to attend the ceremony rather than the broader grieving period.

family leave

Much broader category that can include parental leave, medical care for family members or bereavement.

personal leave

Generic category for any time off taken for personal reasons not covered by vacation or sick days.

emergency leave

Suggests the leave was unplanned and urgent, though not necessarily due to a death.

FAQs

How do I use "bereavement leave" in a sentence?

You can use it as a direct object or within a prepositional phrase, for example: "He was granted three days of "bereavement leave" to attend his grandmother's funeral".

What is the difference between "bereavement leave" and "compassionate leave"?

In many organizations, "bereavement leave" is specifically for a death, whereas "compassionate leave" is a broader term that can also cover time taken to care for a terminally ill relative.

Can I use "funeral leave" as an alternative?

Yes, but "funeral leave" is sometimes more restrictive, referring only to the specific days of the service rather than a longer period for grieving and logistics.

What is a more informal way to say "bereavement leave"?

You can use descriptive phrases like "time off for a funeral" or simply mention you are taking "family leave" if you prefer not to be specific.