Bereavement Leave Letter

When an employee suffers the death of an immediate family member, he or she is usually entitled to a few days of paid vacation leave in order to take care of family arrangements. An additional few days of unpaid leave may be available in most situations. The bereaved employee needs to write a formal bereavement leave letter to employers, clearly stating the situation and the dates needed off from work.
Format and Content

The typical bereavement leave letter format is similar to most business letters, with your address, your employer’s address and the date at the top of the page. The letter should include a brief summary of your bereavement situation, your request for bereavement leave, and the date on which you plan to return to work. Some companies may require proof in order to grant paid leave, so be sure to familiarize yourself with company policies on different types of leave. Include your contact information and any other important details which may be pertinent to your work situation.
Sample

Here is a bereavement leave letter sample, written by an employee whose father has passed away. He is flying out of state immediately in order to tend to the funeral arrangements and requests that his employers grant him 3 days of paid leave with 3 additional days of unpaid leave. He clearly states when he is taking the leave and when he will return to the office.
Dear Ms. Schubert,

I am writing this letter to inform you of the unfortunate and unexpected passing of my father today. I would like to formally request that you grant me 3 days of paid leave plus 3 days of unpaid leave due to these circumstances. I am flying out tonight, April 1, 2014, and plan to be out of town for the funeral and all related arrangements until Monday, April 8, 2014, when I will be returning to the office. I appreciate your consideration in this matter as I will need all 6 days to take care of all of the family arrangements.

I trust that my work over the past few years speaks for itself in regards to my willingnessto make all efforts to catch up satisfactorily upon my return. I am confident that my currently unfinished projects will not be negatively affected by such a short absence. When I return to the office on Monday, I hope be able to focus on my work much more effectively.

If you have any questions or concerns about this matter, please leave me a message. I can be reached during the day by telephone at (555)-555-5555 or by email at [email] I will make an effort to answer all messages as soon as I can. Thank you for your assistance during this time.

Yours sincerely,


Mr. Allen G. Holloway

Marketing Director

Smith Communications