CVS Bereavement Policy (Everything You Need to Know)
Many retail and drugstore chains in the U.S. acknowledge the difficulties employees must go through when dealing with the loss of a loved one and offer flexible bereavement leave.
So if you’re applying for a position at CVS, you might be wondering if the pharmacy giant will offer you bereavement leave when a loved one dies. Here’s what I found!
CVS Bereavement Policy
CVS allows employees three days of bereavement leave in the event of the death of an immediate family member (such as a spouse, child, parent, sibling or grandparent). If employees pass the 90-day trial period, they will be paid standard hours while on leave. Otherwise, leave is unpaid.
If you want to learn more about how to apply for bereavement leave, whether proof of events is required, and which relationships are covered by bereavement leave policies, keep reading!
How do I apply for bereavement leave at CVS?
If your immediate family member dies and needs to go through the funeral, you can submit an application to the store manager to authorize you to take leave.
However, if you are unable to submit this request in advance, please contact your manager as soon as possible to explain the situation.
What relationships are covered under CVS bereavement leave?
CVS Health’s policy covers only immediate family members, that is, employees’:
- spouse
- child
- mother or father (and in-laws)
- grandparents (and in-laws)
- stepparents and stepchildren
- siblings (and in-laws)
- legal guardian
- domestic partners
- Relatives living in the employee’s home
Note that this does not include aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews or close friends.
Does CVS offer paid bereavement leave?
CVS provides paid bereavement leave to employees who have passed the 90-day probationary period, based on immediate time on the employee’s otherwise scheduled work schedule.
In addition, CVS Health provides financial assistance through its Employee Relief Fund in the form of funeral expenses and emergency travel to attend funerals.
The Employee Relief Fund is a public charity established to assist CVS employees through unforeseen and unavoidable financial hardship and emergencies.
If employees require a longer leave of absence, they will need to submit an individual leave of absence (LOA), which must be approved by the store manager and the relevant HR department.
Who is eligible for paid bereavement leave?
CVS employees are eligible for paid bereavement leave if they work an average of at least 30 hours per week and have completed a 90-day probationary period.
Note that those who have not completed their probationary period are only entitled to unpaid bereavement leave.
Do I need to provide proof to be eligible for bereavement leave at CVS?
You will only need to provide proof to verify your bereavement leave if your manager asks you to do so, but this is up to the management of the store in question.
In most cases, no proof is required because bereavement can happen suddenly.
Am I covered under the CVS Employee Relief Fund?
All CVS Health employees, including those on probation, are covered under the Employee Relief Fund.
It is designed to provide financial relief to employees suffering from deaths in the family, medical emergencies, natural disasters and other unforeseen events.
The fund evaluates employees’ applications for assistance and provides grants of up to $3,000 (tax-free) based on the severity of the emergency.
To apply for help through this fund, simply contact your relevant HR team to discuss your options.
Can CVS deny employee bereavement leave?
Since there is no law in the United States to protect employees’ bereavement leave rights, it is up to the employer to decide whether to deny or approve employee bereavement leave.
The exception is Oregon, where companies are now (as of 2023) required to offer reasonable bereavement policies.
As for CVS, the fact that it has a separate employee emergency relief fund suggests store managers are unlikely to refuse bereavement leave.
To learn more about CVS, you can also review our posts on CVS Break Policy, CVS Drug Testing and CVS Dress Code.
in conclusion
CVS Health has a bereavement policy that covers all employees and allows three days of leave based on the employee’s condition. If the employee has passed the 90-day trial period, then they will be given paid time off, otherwise, they will be given unpaid time off.
The policy covers the loss of an employee’s immediate family and does not cover extended family members such as aunts or uncles.
