The loss of a loved one can be a devastating event. And the last thing you want to do when dealing with grief is to go to work. That is why there are many companies that offer bereavement leave for employees who recently lost a loved one to grieve and process the passing.
But is Costco one of these companies?
If you lose a loved one and cannot attend work, it’s important to understand the company’s bereavement policy and how to file for bereavement leave. And if you work at Costco and are curious about their bereavement policy, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will take a close look at the Costco bereavement policy, which includes everything you need to know about filing, extending, and getting paid during your time off.
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What Is The Costco Bereavement Policy?
Costco’s current bereavement policy allows workers 3 paid days without work in the event of the passing of a loved one. Costco’s policy states that employees can take bereavement leave in the event a spouse, parent, sibling, grandparent, or child passes away.
However, you have to wait until you’ve been employed at the company for at least 90 days before you can file for bereavement leave. This is the same for both full-time and part-time Costco employees.
Is Costco Bereavement Leave Paid?
The first three days of bereavement leave are paid for under Costco’s policy. However, the actual amount you will receive can vary depending on your position and the number of hours you have scheduled for those particular days.
With that said, most of the time, Costco provides employees with the same pay that they receive with their income package and gives it out on the same standard payday. However, this can vary on a case-to-case basis.
How To Qualify For Costco Bereavement Leave
To qualify for bereavement leave, you first need to be employed at Costco for at least 90 days. After 90 days of working at the company, you become eligible to file for bereavement leave in the event you have to deal with the death of a loved one.
All employees who have worked at Costco for at least 90 days qualify for bereavement leave. This includes associates, maintenance assistants, assistant managers, store staff, and even managers.
Since you have to be employed at Costco for at least 90 days to qualify for bereavement leave, most of Costco’s seasonal employees and associates won’t qualify.
What Family Members Are Included In The Bereavement Policy?
Costco’s bereavement policy states that employees are eligible to file for bereavement leave if an immediate member of their family passes away. Under the US Office of Personnel Management, the following are people who may count as immediate family members;
- Spouses including same-sex and opposite-sex partners
- Children including foster children and step-children
- Parents, parent’s in-law, adopted parents, foster parents, and parental guardians
- Siblings, half-siblings, and step-siblings
- Grandparents and grandchildren
As you can tell, this doesn’t cover all people who may fall under the new and modern definition of a family. But Costco understands that as well. So, in a lot of cases, Costco is very lenient when approving a bereavement leave request.
So, if a person who is close to you passed away but their relationship doesn’t appear on the list, you can approach your supervisor or HR to ask for bereavement leave. This includes cousins, close friends, and other people you may have had a close relationship with. Just explain your situation to the general manager and HR department at your particular Costco franchise, and in most cases, they will grant you bereavement leave.
Do I Need To Show Proof To Costco For Bereavement Leave?
In most cases, Costco will request proof of death when filing for bereavement leave. This is to ensure that all authorized paid bereavement leaves are given to people who are actually struggling with the loss of a loved one.
In most cases, an obituary can work as proof. Additionally, if there is a program for the funeral services, you may also show that to your supervisor as proof. If that doesn’t work, another alternative for many people is to show a clear copy of the person’s death certificate.
You may ask your supervisor what kind of proof you need to provide. That way, you know what papers or documents you need to find to provide proof of death to your employer.
Is Bereavement Leave Required By Law?
In the US, bereavement leave for employees is not a federal requirement. So, this means that companies are not obliged to offer bereavement leave to their employees. With that said, over 88% of companies in the US offer bereavement leave for grieving employees.
Since there aren’t any regulations or requirements for bereavement leave, policies can differ greatly between companies. Some companies may offer paid bereavement leave, while others won’t. Additionally, the maximum length of paid bereavement leave at different companies can also vary.
Currently, Oregon is the only state in the US that requires bereavement leave. So, since Costco operates heavily in that state, all Costco employees are entitled to receive bereavement leave by state law.
Can You Extend Costco Bereavement Leave?
When a close family member passes away, 3 days of bereavement leave may not be enough. Aside from dealing with the weight of the passing, there may be other legal and funeral commitments that you need to attend. In that case, you may want to ask your employer if you can extend bereavement leave.
In most cases, employees simply use leftover paid vacation days to cover the additional days they need to grieve and process the post-death papers. However, if you no longer have paid vacation days, you may also dig into your unpaid vacation days as well.
In some cases, you can talk to your employer and ask if you can extend the length of your bereavement leave. However, most of the time, employers can only extend this to a maximum of five days. On top of that, this is largely up to your employer since Costco’s bereavement policy only requires 3 days for employees dealing with the passing of a loved one.
Conclusion
If you work at Costco and are currently dealing with the loss of a family member, you are entitled to three days of paid bereavement leave.
When applying for bereavement leave, you need to show proof of death and the person has to be an immediate family member. If the person doesn’t qualify as an immediate family member, you may still request bereavement leave, but you have to explain the nature of your relationship to your employer.
Additionally, you need to have worked at Costco for at least 90 days in order to qualify unless you live in Oregon, in which case, legally Costco must grant employees bereavement leave.
