Many companies allow their employees to take time off from work to mourn the death of a family member or close friend and tend to funeral (and other) arrangements.
So if you’re one of Costco’s 275,000+ worldwide employees, you may wish to know about Costco’s bereavement policy and what it entails for you. Here is what I’ve found about this through my research!
Costco Bereavement Policy
Costco’s bereavement policy provides 3 paid days off following the death of an immediate family member such as a spouse, sibling, child, parent, or grandparent. Full-time and part-time Costco team members are eligible for bereavement leave after 90 days of employment.
If you want to learn more about extending your bereavement leave, what you can provide as proof of bereavement, and much more, keep on reading!
Does Costco Pay Employees During Bereavement Leave?
Costco employees are eligible for 3 paid days off following the death of an immediate family member.
The amount of bereavement pay you will receive depends on your scheduled hours for the missed days and your pay rate.
In most cases, you should receive bereavement pay within your usual income package on your standard payday.
Which Costco Employees Are Eligible For Bereavement Leave?
Both full-time and part-time employees at Costco, including HQ associates, store staff, and managers, are entitled to bereavement leave.
However, employees should note that they will only qualify for paid time off if they have worked at Costco for at least 90 days.
For this reason, seasonal team members may not be eligible for paid bereavement leave.
Which Family Members Does Costco Allow Bereavement Leave For?
Costco offers a bereavement period for the death of “immediate” family members. The U.S. Office Of Personnel Management includes the following relations in this bracket:
- Spouses, including same-sex and opposite-sex partnerships
- Parents, including parents-in-law, adopted parents, parental guardians, and foster parents
- Children, including step-children and foster children
- Siblings, including half-siblings and step-siblings
- Grandparents and grandchildren
However, Costco understands that every modern family is different and is likely to be lenient depending on your situation.
So if someone outside the above-listed relations passes away in your family, you can speak to your general manager or HR department for more information regarding your circumstance.
Do You Have To Show Proof Of Bereavement At Costco?
Costco does often request proof of bereavement from its employees to authorize paid bereavement leave.
As an employee, you can show an obituary or funeral program, or provide the original death certificate or a clear copy of the same.
Alternatively, a manager may just ask for basic details of the deceased such as your relationship to the person and the date of death, to authorize your request for bereavement leave.
How Many Days Of Bereavement Leave Are You Entitled To At Costco?
Costco’s bereavement policy provides 3 paid days off to both full-time and part-time employees during which your job will be protected.
Beyond that, you can agree on an extended leave period with your line manager or HR department, but this may not be paid (or protected).
Is Costco Legally Required To Offer Bereavement Leave?
There are no federal laws that legally require employers such as Costco to provide bereavement leave to employees.
Despite this, 88% of companies offer paid bereavement leave to employees, according to research by the Society of Human Resource Management.
Oregon is currently the only state that has listed bereavement leave as a mandatory requirement. Since Costco employs more than 25 team members per store, they must legally pay bereavement in Oregon.
Can You Take Extended Time Off For Bereavement At Costco?
When an immediate family member dies, you may require more than 3 days to grieve and organize the relevant procedures such as the funeral and legal documentation.
In such cases, employees can use leftover paid vacation time to extend their bereavement period beyond the standard 3 days provided by Costco.
According to Glassdoor, many employees liaised with their superiors to agree to 5 days’ leave for bereavement.
You may need to take unpaid time off if additional days are unattainable, but keep in mind that Costco cannot protect the jobs of employees that require long-term absence.
Does Costco Provide Time Off For Funerals?
Costco allows employees to apply one of their paid bereavement days to the date of the funeral.
If a distant relative or close friend has passed away, or you’ve already taken all 3 days of bereavement, you may book a day off for the funeral using the standard protocols in your store.
To learn more, you can also see our posts on whether or not Costco hires part-time, if Costco drug test, and the Costco dress code.
Conclusion
Full-time and part-time staff that have worked at Costco for more than 90 days can receive 3 paid days of bereavement leave. The policy covers immediate family members, including parents, children, spouses, siblings, and grandparents.
Employees may need to show proof of death to Costco through documentation to authorize payments. However, extended bereavement periods are usually unpaid.
