If you ever experienced loss, then grief would be an all too familiar subject to you. Between the outpouring of sympathy from good wishes and the extravagant attention you are bound to receive; you will be flanked on either side with gestures that should make the process of losing something and someone easier but still doesn’t. Grief is a living being of sorts, with a mind of its own and more often than we like to admit to ourselves, we are at its mercy.
Nothing prepares you for it. But it is okay because part of the grieving process demands a little time and attention for healing your mind and perhaps your body.
Nobody wishes to, but sometimes a bereavement Leave Letter becomes necessary. And while it might seem a tad negligible, the leave of absence given the bereaved might be the singular thing that holds them together in the aftermath of a tragedy.
Why You Should Write a Bereavement Leave Letter
When you hear the news of the death of a loved one, it is normal to suddenly feel like the world is grinding to a screeching halt, and nothing else matters.
The reality, in fact, is that life goes on, with or without you and your loved one. And when you finally get around to feeling better, the last thing you want to realize is that you abandoned your means of livelihood without warning.
Granted, grief might leave you feeling overwhelmed and unable to perform, but you can be rest-assured, that a bereavement leave letter will give adequate notification to your employers about your predicament and provide you sufficient time to recover.
What is the law about bereavement leave?
How To Write a Bereavement Leave Letter
To write a proper bereavement leave letter, a little ground work has to be covered before putting pen to paper. As important as it is, not all employers offer bereavement leave to their employees; and a few others might but under specific terms and conditions.
So, a good way to begin would be to inform your supervisor about why you need time off. Often, they will be in the best position to provide you with the necessary guidance you need to write a bereavement letter that would be considered in the light of your companies policies.
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Components of a Bereavement Leave Letter
When speaking to your supervisor, you are likely to be informed that your bereavement leave letter should contain the following;
- Information about the deceased, and their relationship with you.
- The date of the persons passing
- Funeral arrangement details (and perhaps an invitation to management if it is immediate family)
- The date for the leave to proceed, and your resumption.
- Contact details (if your employers need to contact you in your time away)
Sample Bereavement Leave Letter
Marthinus Jacob C.
General Supervisor,
The Peoples National Insurance Bank
300 Broadway Lane
Main Parkland, CA 90000
16th February 2022
Steven P Mathais
General Manager
The Peoples National Insurance Bank
300 Broadway Lane
Main Parkland, CA 90000
Dear sir,
This letter is a formal request to embark on a bereavement leave following the passing of my mother yesterday, 15th February 2022. Before her death, she lived with my family in the last 12 years of her life. And you can imagine that it has brought a thoroughly incredible impact on our household.
Following my mother’s request, she will be laid to rest in Seattle, with my father. It is in this regard that I am requesting this bereavement leave between tomorrow, the 17th of February to 25th of February 2022. This will provide me with sufficient time to bury and grief my mother; before returning to work to dispense my regular duties.
I will do my best, and by the end of the day should have completed the necessary tasks to close my current project. In my absence however, I would be glad to answer any questions and provide guidance where required. Nonetheless, my assistant is quite capable of handling any issues that may arise.
I would like to offer my sincerest appreciation to the management so far, for your kind support in this matter.
Thank you for your time.
Best regards,
(Signature)
Marthinus Jacob C.
