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Section 3: Time Off Benefits

West Chicago Park District Employee Policy Manual
3.5–1
Section 3: Time Off Benefits

WEST CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT

Section 3: Time Off Benefits

3.5
Bereavement Leave

Introduction…...…………………………………..1

Definition of Family Member……………………..2

Introduction

The West Chicago Park District recognizes that the death of a family member or loved one is
a difficult and challenging time for employees. Bereavement leave is provided to eligible
employees to allow them reasonable time away from work to attend funeral or memorial
services, make necessary arrangements, grieve, and attend to matters associated with the
loss of a loved one.

All full-time and Classification I and II part-time employees are allowed up to three (3) working
days with pay per calendar year to attend the funeral of a family member, or up to five (5)
days if travel of more than three hundred (300) miles one way is necessary, with the approval
of the employee’s immediate supervisor or department head. In turn, the employee’s
immediate supervisor or department head should notify Human
Resources of the reason and length of the employee’s absence. Pay is based on the number
of hours that the employee was regularly scheduled to work on those days. These days are to
be taken consecutively within a reasonable time of the day of the death or day of the funeral,
and may not be split or postponed.

Definition of Family Member

For purposes of this policy, "family member" is defined as the employee's spouse, civil union
partner, child, stepchild, foster child, parent, grandparent, sibling, grandchild, parent-in-law,
son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or relative living in the same
household as the employee at the time of death.

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Section 3: Time Off Benefits

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West Chicago Park District Employee Policy Manual
Section 3: Time Off Benefits

Leave will be granted with pay for funerals of other relatives, but shall be limited to one day.
The use of personal days or other accumulated leave may be used in order to allow
employees to travel to funerals or attend to other funeral arrangements.

Upon returning to work, the employee must record their absence as a Bereavement
Leave on their attendance record. Proof of death and relationship to the deceased may
be required.

All employees eligible for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (the
“FMLA”) shall be eligible for bereavement leave in accordance with the Illinois Child
Bereavement Leave Act (the “Act”) which provides up to a maximum of two (2) weeks ten (10
work days) of unpaid bereavement leave to: one (1) attend the funeral or alternative to a
funeral of a child; two (2) make arrangements necessitated by the death of the child; or three
(3) greive the death of a child.

The Act defines “child” as an employee’s son or daughter who is a biological, adopted, or
foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis.

Eligible employees may elect to substitute accrued and unused paid leave for unpaid leave
for bereavement leave under the Act.

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