Losing a loved one can be a difficult time for most people, one in which they have to tend to their families and look after funerals.
Walgreens employs over 225,000 people all over the country, so it is worth knowing: what is Walgreens’ bereavement policy for its employees? Here is what I’ve found out.
Walgreens Bereavement Policy
Walgreens allows up to three days of paid leave on the death of an immediate family member. This can be extended beyond three days using the Paid Time Off (PTO) allocated to each employee. Employees need only communicate with their store managers to take leave.
If you want to know more about who qualifies as an immediate family member, how long a leave an employee can take, and much more, keep on reading!
Who Is Considered An Immediate Family Member For Bereavement Leave At Walgreens?
According to Walgreens policy, an immediate family member is defined as any relationship of the employee from the following list:
- Parent
- Step-parent
- Parent-in-law
- Sibling
- Step-sibling
- Child
- Step-child
- Spouse
- Domestic partner
- Son-in-law
- Daughter-in-law
- Sister-in-law
- Brother-in-law
- Grandparent
- Step-grandparent
- Grandchild
- Step-grandchild
- Grandparent-in-law
This shows that employees at Walgreens can take bereavement leave for all close family members.
However, the policy is not set in stone, i.e., an employee can speak to their store manager about the death of someone not included in the list and, if possible, still be given bereavement leave. This is left at the discretion of the manager.
How Many Days Off Are You Entitled To For Bereavement At Walgreens?
The standard duration of bereavement leave at Walgreens is three days. However, this is finalized by the store manager based on several important factors, including:
- The time it will take the employee to reach the place of the funeral
- The relationship of the employee with the deceased
- The amount of paid leaves the employee has utilized already
- Whether the store can manage current loads without the employee
In most cases, the store manager will (without any questions) give the three-day bereavement leave to the employee.
Does Walgreens Pay Employees During Bereavement Leave?
Yes, Walgreens pays employees the standard hourly rate during bereavement leave for all the hours that the employee would otherwise be working in the Walgreens store.
However, note that this only applies to the three days allotted for this leave.
If the employee wishes to extend the bereavement leave for some reason beyond three days, he or she will not be paid for those extra days.
Does Walgreens Allow Bereavement Leave Longer Than Three Days?
In cases such as when an employee needs to travel to reach the place of the funeral or requires some extra time to sort out legal matters, Walgreens allows extended leave to the employee. However, the employee will not be paid beyond three days.
As an alternative (to not lose the pay for the extra days), the employee can use their Paid Time Off (PTO) leaves to cover the extra days beyond the three days covered by the bereavement leave. This will allow them to be paid for any extra days.
Do You Have To Show Proof For Bereavement To Walgreens?
No, you do not have to show any proof of bereavement to Walgreens to get the three-day leave. It is enough for the employee to speak to their store manager and inform them about the passing away of a relative.
Does The Law Require Walgreens To Provide Bereavement Leave?
No, there is no provision in the Fair Labor Standards Act by the US Department of Labor about the granting of paid (or unpaid) bereavement leave to employees of a company.
This is left entirely up to the company. Therefore, the three-day paid leave is put in place by Walgreens itself.
The only state that has a policy regarding this is Oregon. In Oregon, companies that have more than 25 employees are required by law to provide up to two weeks of leave to employees who have worked at least 25 hours a week for at least 180 days in the past.
To learn more about Walgreens, you can see our comprehensive posts on Walgreens employee discount, Walgreens shoplifting policy, how to quit Walgreens, and when does Walgreens restocks.
Conclusion
Walgreens bereavement policy allows employees up to three days of paid leave on the death of any close family member. Since this is left to the discretion of store managers, employees may also get leave for relations that are not included in the official list.
Employees can extend their leaves beyond the standard three days by leveraging their Paid Time Off (PTO) leaves.
Do you have to be at walgreens a certain period of time before they allow the paid bereavement leave ?
Hi Kail, thanks for your comment and sorry for any loss you have had. From our research, there should be no minimum requirement for the amount of time worked at Walgreens before requesting bereavement leave. But to be sure, it would be best to speak to your store manager, as he/she will be able to give you more details. I hope that helps.