Now this is a change we can really lean into. (Excuse the terrible pun.) Facebook's chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg announced Tuesday that the social media platform has extended its bereavement leave package in a big way: It will now offer up to 20 paid days off work after the death of an immediate family member, and 10 paid days off work after the death of an extended family member.
The change doubled the amount of leave the company gives its employees. But even Facebook's old policy was impressive; U.S. companies are not required to offer bereavement leave at all. Sandberg announced the change on Facebook.
"There have been many times when I've been grateful to work at companies that supported families," Sandberg, who lost her husband in 2015, wrote. "Amid the nightmare of Dave's death, when my kids needed me more than ever, I was grateful every day to work for a company that provides bereavement leave and flexibility."
She continued, "I know how rare that is, and I believe strongly that it shouldn't be. People should be able both to work and be there for their families. No one should face this trade-off. We need public policies that make it easier for people to care for their children and aging parents, and for families to mourn and heal after loss."
Unfortunately, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that only about 60 percent of all employees receive bereavement leave. Most of those employees get just three days.
Facebook's bereavement benefits update comes at the heels of a couple of other positive changes to its paid leave package. As of January, employees receive up to six weeks of paid leave to be with family members suffering from a serious illness and three paid days off work to be with loved ones with a short-term illness. Facebook employees also receive four months of paid parental leave, 21 days of vacation, and unlimited sick leave.
