Managers: Laws and Rules
Funeral & Honor Guard Leave
Funeral leave is a leave of absence with pay of up to twenty-four working hours that may be granted, at the discretion of the appointing authority, to an employee to attend or make arrangements for a funeral, as a result of a death in the employee's family, or in the family of an employee's spouse.
"Family" means the husband, wife, son, daughter, father, mother, stepparents, brother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, stepchildren, foster parents, foster children, daughter-in-law, son-in-law.e.
Funeral leave and honor guard leave is not considered sick leave or annual leave.
Honor guard leave is a leave of absence from work with pay of up to twenty-four working hours per calendar year for an employee to participate in an honor guard for a funeral service of a veteran. The employee must be serving in an essential ceremonial role as part of the official funeral service of a veteran such as a member of the flagbearers, a member of the flag-folding team, a member of the firing party, the bugler, or the honor guard captain.
Recommendations
In the case of a death in the family, the appointing authority is advised to make the necessary work arrangements, so that a request for funeral or honor guard leave may be granted even if the absence of the employee might interfere with the normal operations of the agency.
For the death of a relative or friend not covered by the funeral leave rule, it is appropriate to request and use annual leave.
