hestiaWhat you are entitled to
| Paid leave | For the death of |
|---|---|
| 10 days | Your spouse, your child including an unborn child, or your stepchild |
| 5 days | Your parent or stepparent |
| 3 days | Your sibling, grandparent, grandchild, foster parent or parent-in-law |
From the Tennessee Attendance and Leave Manual. Read it yourself, because you should not have to take our word for your own entitlement.
Three things worth knowing
It is paid, and it is on top. Bereavement leave does not reduce your sick or annual leave balances.
The timesheet code is BER. Your agency records it under BER, not under sick or annual leave.
A day is 7.5 or 8 hours. One day counts as 7.5 hours on a 37.5-hour week, or 8 hours on a 40-hour week.
If your relationship is not on the list
An unmarried partner is not in the policy, and nor are aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces or nephews. If that is your situation, ask your HR office whether sick or annual leave can be used. It is worth asking rather than assuming the answer is no.
Work out your days and write the request
Our free tool asks who died and who you work for, then drafts the message to your manager or HR with the right wording and the right leave code. Nothing is saved and nothing is sent anywhere.
If you do not work for the state
No Tennessee law requires a private employer to provide bereavement leave at all. What you get depends on your employer’s own policy, which is in your handbook or with your HR office.
The tool covers private employers too, and will draft the request either way.
Questions people ask
How many days of bereavement leave do Tennessee state employees get?
Ten days for a spouse, a child including an unborn child, or a stepchild. Five days for a parent or stepparent. Three days for a sibling, grandparent, grandchild, foster parent or parent-in-law.
Does Tennessee bereavement leave come out of sick leave?
No. It does not reduce your sick or annual leave balances. It is recorded separately under the BER leave code.
Does Tennessee require private employers to give bereavement leave?
No. No Tennessee law requires a private employer to provide bereavement leave. What you get depends on your employer’s own policy, so check your handbook or ask HR.
How long is one day of bereavement leave in Tennessee?
One day counts as 7.5 hours if you work a 37.5-hour week, or 8 hours if you work a 40-hour week.
While you are here
If you are arranging a funeral in Tennessee, we publish funeral homes’ own price lists side by side, each with the date it was issued. Nobody pays to appear.
See what funeral homes near you charge · What has to happen first
General information, not legal advice. Policies change, so check the official page linked above.