SUU Seal (for official use only)
 

POLICY #9.4 
SUBJECT: Bereavement Leave


I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Policy is to provide bereavement leave to Employees in the event of the death of an Immediate Family member or a Miscarriage or Stillbirth.


III. DEFINITIONS

  1. Adoptive Parent: An individual who has legally adopted an adoptee in accordance with Utah Code 78B-6-101 et seq.
  2. Gestational Agreement: Written agreement wherein a prospective gestational mother, her spouse, if married, and/or donor(s) agree to relinquish all rights and duties as parents of the conceived child and the intended parents become the parents of the child. See Utah Code 78B-15-801 et seq.
  3. Immediate Family: Relatives of the employee, spouse, or cohabitating partner as defined by Utah law, including in-laws, step-relatives, or equivalent relationship as follows:
    1. Spouse or cohabitating partner as defined by Utah law;
    2. Parents;
    3. Siblings;
    4. Children;
    5. Any level of grandparent; or
    6. Any level of grandchildren.
  4. Miscarriage or Stillbirth: The spontaneous or accidental loss of a fetus, regardless of gestational age or the duration of the pregnancy.

IV. POLICY

  1. Employees of the University who are on "salary contract" for half-time or more and for nine (9) months or more may be granted bereavement leave with pay for a period of up to three (3) workdays in the event of a death in the Immediate Family. Bereavement leave may not be charged against an employee's accrued sick or annual leave.
  2. Supervisors may grant a maximum of three (3) workdays of bereavement leave per occurrence with pay following:
    1. the end of the employee's pregnancy by way of Miscarriage or Stillbirth; or
    2. the end of another individual's pregnancy by way of Miscarriage or Stillbirth, if:
      1. The employee is the individual's spouse or cohabitating partner as defined by Utah law; or
      2. The employee is the individual's former spouse or partner and the employee would have been a biological parent of a child born as a result of the pregnancy; or
      3. The employee provides documentation to show that the individual intended for the employee to be an Adoptive Parent of a child born as a result of the pregnancy; or
      4. Under a valid Gestational Agreement, the employee would have been a parent of a child born as a result of the pregnancy.
  3. For non-faculty employees, additional days will be charged to annual leave or leave without pay.
  4. Exceptions to this Policy may be considered by Human Resources in collaboration with the Vice President for Finance and Administration.

V. RELEVANT FORMS/LINKS

N/A


VI. QUESTIONS/RESPONSIBLE OFFICE

The responsible office for this Policy is the Vice President for Finance. For questions about this Policy, contact the Office of Human Resources.


VII. POLICY ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT DATES

Date Approved: July 27, 1990

Amended: September 23, 2022