Home Depot is a household name in the United States. With over 500,000 employees and growing, they’re one of the most popular home improvement retailers around.
But as an employee, perhaps you’re wondering about their bereavement policy? What rights do you have if you have unfortunately lost a loved one? We looked into it and this is what we found…
Home Depot Bereavement Policy
Home Depot offers employees three paid days off after the death of an immediate family member. Home Depot also offers grants that can help with funeral and travel costs. This only applies however to employees who have past the 90 day probation period.
If you want to learn more about Home Depot’s bereavement policy, keep reading…

Who Qualifies For Home Depot Bereavement Policy?
The Home Depot policy covers every employee, whether part-time or full-time. However, as mentioned earlier, the policy may only recognize those employees who have been in the system working for not less than the past ninety days.
Typically, according to Home Depot, full-time employees work for 24 hours per week, while part-time means that they spend at least 12 hours in a week working.
What Does “Immediate Family Members” Mean To Home Depot?
The eligibility rules are dynamic depending on the management of the Home Depot you are working in. The different management of various stores can re-adjust some policies based on the surrounding circumstances, especially on this aspect.
The Home Depot Policy recognizes the following members as part of the immediate family members:
- Parent: Father, Mother (Biological), step-parents, or official foster parents
- Child: Biological, adopted, step-child, or foster child
- Sibling: Brother or Sister (Biological or Step)
In the event of death, you may need to speak to your store manager on the way forward, especially in the demise event of a grandparent, uncle, aunt, close friend, cousin or nephew or any other close relation.
The manager may give you time off to attend the funeral proceedings.
Does Home Depot Have To Approve Bereavement Leave?
Yes, the bereaved needs to notify the store manager about the loss and possibly provide documentation to show that they are related to the deceased on the application.
They may turn the application down if the store manager establishes they do not relate the deceased to you. Your Store manager may request you to submit proof for the grief.
Sometimes, stores may only require you to present the name and date of the death; other stores may ask for the presentation of the deceased’s death certificate.
Can The Employees Take More Than Three Days?
Yes, the employees can take over three days. They may pick days from other leave days in the year, but the company will not process payments for the employees for the additional leave days.
This can be organized between the bereaved and the store manager on the case.
Employees who wish to extend the Bereavement leave days are free to do so, but it may not pay them for those extra days.
In case of an extension, it is essential to apply for a leave of absence for the extra days for your job security. If you are struggling to stabilize mentally after the loss, you may apply for sick leave for the period you will be home. You may also need to make use of the other vacation days that are remaining.
Does Home Depot Offer Paid Bereavement Leave?
The bereavement policy provides three days of paid leave for those who have lost members of their immediate family.
Home Depot pays employees on bereavement leave according to their standard rates, depending on employment.
They usually disbursed the payment for the grief during the set time for earning the wages or salaries. If employees are tight during this time and need access to some funds, he may speak privately to the store manager for any other advice.
There is also direct Grant financial help offered to the members in the event of any loss. The financial grant involves paying funeral expenses for a child of 26 years and below who is related to the member-parent.
This grant is only available for those members who cannot raise the money for the burial or cremation of the deceased. They mandated the members to provide all the documents proving the relationship of the deceased.
The program also provides travel expense support to the funeral. They depend qualification for this grant on the proof of the relationship between the employee and the deceased person.
How Many Times Can Someone Apply For Bereavement Leave?
Home Depot only provides three leave days in one year. Unfortunately, you cannot carry those days forward if two close family members die within the same year.
In the event of losing over one family member, you can talk to the store manager. You may also use the sick leave days that have not been used.
Read: When Does Home Depot Send Out W2?
What Other Leave Days Does Home Depot Provide For Employees?
Home Depot allows their employees to take some time off the job. Here are some leaves that Home Depot avail for the employees:
Medical Leave: Home Depot offers 15 days of medical leave per year that members can access. This policy may vary depending on the sickness and your position.
Leave of Absence: The leave covers those emergencies that may arise from family or personal matters.
Paid Time Off: Home Depot offers the employees this leave in case of burnouts or regular rest. The notice for this leave should be of not less than 24 hours.
Parent Leave: Home Depot grants six weeks to all the parents who have received a newborn child. This caters to both the husband and the wife. They give the mothers an additional six weeks to nurse the baby. All salaried employees qualify for this leave.
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Conclusion
Home Depot understands ways of handling grief moments that the members go through. They have to provide them with bereavement leave to grieve their loved ones. They also facilitate the burial or cremation expenses for those members who have inadequate finances to cater for those services.
Though they gave members only three days for the leave, the employee can apply for additional Leave of Absence days (Unpaid), use part of the medical leave days or agree with the manager.
Apart from bereavement leave, there are other leaves that they entitle members to, for instance, medical leave (sick leave), Leave of Absence, and parental leave.
That the policies are there provides the guidelines on the leave days. If an employee has an emergency to attend to, he can communicate with the store manager for job security.