Gov. Cooper approves bereavement leave for state employees. Find out if you’re eligible
Thousands of state employees are now eligible for paid bereavement leave after a new executive order from Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday.
Sparked by the devastation of Hurricane Helene, Cooper said the policy will provide state employees time to grieve without worrying about a missed paycheck, according to a news release.
“We continue to mourn those who lost their lives to Hurricane Helene, and this leave will be available to help state employees who lost family or coworkers to the storm,” Cooper said.
Employees can receive up to 40 hours of paid leave for each loss of an immediate family member, which the policy defines as:
A spouse
A biological, adoptive or stepparent
A person in the place or position of a parent
In-laws (mother, father, child, sibling, grandparent or great-grandparent)
A biological, adoptive, foster or stepchild
A legal ward
A biological, adoptive, half or step-sibling
A biological, adoptive or step-grandparent
A biological, adoptive or step-grandchild
A dependent living in the employee’s household
Employees can also apply for up to eight hours of bereavement leave to attend the memorial, funeral service or visitation of a colleague, including former colleagues who left the agency within the past year, according to the Office of State Human Resources.
Documentation like an obituary, death certificate or funeral information must be provided, the Office of State Human Resources’ website states.
The policy immediately applies to all agencies within the governor’s cabinet, while other state agencies and universities are encouraged to apply the policy, the release said.
Those cabinet agencies include:
Department of Administration
Department of Adult Correction
Department of Commerce
Department of Environmental Quality
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Information Technology
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
Department of Public Safety
Department of Revenue
Department of Transportation
The policy will apply retroactively as far back as Sept. 27, when Hurricane Helene hit, the release said. Employees have until six months after the loss to take bereavement leave.
Other state agencies will need several weeks to consider participating in the policy, the Office of State Human Resources said.
“Our people are our greatest resource and we’re pleased to add bereavement leave to the benefits we are able to offer state employees,” said Director of the Office of State Human Resources Barbara Gibson.
