Most pharmacy and retail chains in the US understand the difficult times that employees go through when grieving their loved ones. The last thing you want to do during these times is continue to work as if everything is normal. For this reason, many companies offer flexible bereavement leaves.
Typically, before taking up a position at CVS, you might want to know whether this pharmaceutical giant will give you a bereavement leave in the unfortunate event where your loved one passes away.
Keep reading to find out more about the CVS bereavement policy.
CVS Bereavement Policy
CVS gives its employees a standard three day bereavement leave if they lose a close relative. It could be a child, sibling, spouse, parent, grandchild, or grandparent. Employees can only be paid during this leave if they have cleared the 90-day probation. If this isn’t the case, then leave will be unpaid.
Find out more about applying for bereavement leave, relations included in the bereavement policy, and whether you need to provide proof of death in this article.
Bereavement Policies
Bereavement leave is the period that an employee takes away from work after suffering a loved one’s passing. An employer is responsible for granting the leave to the employee.
While most bereavement leave policies cover immediate relations, close friends, and extended family, there could be discrepancies in individual policies regarding what constitutes a bereavement loss.
How Do You Apply For Bereavement Leave At CVS?
If you lose a close family member and need to take bereavement leave, the first thing you need to do is get in touch with the store manager. Explain your situation to them and hand in your request for leave so they can authorize it.
However, it isn’t uncommon not to be able to submit your leave request in time. In such cases, you might have to contact your manager as soon as possible and explain your circumstances.
Who Does The CVS Bereavement Policy Consider Family?
The CVS Health policy only covers your immediate family, which is defined as the employee’s:
- Parents
- Child
- In-laws
- Spouse
- Grandparents
- Step-children
- Step-parents
- Siblings
- Domestic partner
- Legal guardian
- Relatives residing with the employee
It is important to note that this policy doesn’t cover uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces, or close friends.
Is CVS Bereavement Leave Paid?
Yes, CVS offers a paid bereavement leave to its employees provided they have passed their 90-day probationary period. On top of this, CVS offers financial assistance in the form of emergency travel expenses for funeral attendance and funeral expenses.
All these are possible thanks to the CVS employee Relief Fund–a public charity founded to help CVS employees during unavoidable and unanticipated financial emergencies and hardships.
If you require more days away from work, you might submit a personal Leave of Absence (LOA). The LOA needs approval from your store management and the relevant HR department.
Here are some of the factors your store manager will consider while evaluating the length of your leave:
- The relationship you have with the deceased
- The approximate tie it will take for you to travel to attend the funeral or grieve with your relatives
- The impact your leave will have on the operations of your CVS facility
- The number of times you have been on leave in the last 12 months
Do You Need to Provide Proof of Death to Qualify for the CVS Bereavement Leave?
Providing proof of death isn’t necessary but some managers may request it. In these cases, you can only provide proof of death upon your managers request in the form of death certificates, visitation booklets, or obituaries.
This is completely dependent on a particular store’s management. In most cases, there will be no need for proof as bereavement could happen suddenly.
Does The CVS Employee Relief Fund Cover Me?
Yes, all CVS health employees, even those on probation, are covered by the Employee Relief Fund. It aims to provide financial relief to employees who have suffered family deaths, natural disasters, medical emergencies, and several other unforeseen events.
The fund assesses employee applications for assistance and grants up to $3000 depending on how severe the emergency is. If you wish to apply for help through the Employee Relief Fund, you must contact the HR team to discuss your options.
Can CVS Deny Me Bereavement Policy?
Since the United States have no laws protecting the rights of employees to bereavement leave, it is up to the employer to approve or deny bereavement leave to their employees. The only state that is an exception is the state of Oregon. Here, companies must provide reasonable bereavement policies.
In the case of CVS, the fact that there is a separate Employee Relief Fund for emergencies indicates that it is unlikely that you will be denied bereavement leave by your store manager.
What Should I Do During Bereavement Leave?
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), different people respond to grief differently. The good news is that you can use the following coping mechanisms:
- Talking about your loved ones with your colleagues and friends
- Accepting your emotions
- Maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough hours of sleep, and exercising regularly.
- Getting in touch with people that are going through a similar loss
- Doing things that honor the life of your departed loved ones, such as donating money to charity and planting a tree
The APA argues that there is no standard amount of time required to process grief, so it would be great to see a psychologist to help you get through this trying period. If you lack an adequate support system, joining a support group could be an excellent idea.
The Benefits of Bereavement Leave
Taking bereavement leave is important for employees that have suffered a loss. For starters, employees have a right to take time off to grieve without the pressure of meeting deadlines at work. Also, grieving employees need time away to make funeral arrangements for the deceased.
Generally, bereavement leave makes it possible for staff members to:
- Physically and mentally process their grief
- Contact friends and family regarding a loved one’s death
- Make final funeral arrangements for their loved one via a cremation society or funeral home
- Make travel arrangements for memorial or funeral services and receptions
- Complete financial and legal documents regarding the departed’s will
- Manage the deceased’s estate amongst other properties
- Contact their loved one’s life insurance providers
- Spend time with the deceased’s relative
You May Also Be Interested In:
Conclusion
In a nutshell, CVS health has a generous bereavement policy that covers all its employees.
The policy allows a standard three-day leave depending on the employee status. However, if you need more days, your manager can arrange that.
The leave only covers the loss of employees’ close relatives and is paid only if the employee has passed the 90-day probationary period.