The bill guarantees up to 12 months of job‑protected bereavement leave (with the option to use accrued paid leave) for parents who lose a child, trading greater worker protections and income continuity for increased employer costs, potential documentation requirements, and reduced flexibility for intermittent leave use.
Parents and families who lose a son or daughter gain up to 12 months of job‑protected FMLA leave to grieve and manage affairs.
Employees may substitute accrued paid leave for the bereavement leave, allowing workers with paid time off to preserve income during the leave period.
Federal civil service employees receive the same bereavement leave entitlement as other FMLA‑covered workers, equalizing benefits across the federal workforce.
Extending protected leave up to 12 months could increase administrative and staffing costs for employers who must cover long absences, potentially raising burdens on small businesses and taxpayers.
Employees cannot use the bereavement leave intermittently or on a reduced schedule without employer agreement, limiting flexibility for those who need to return gradually or attend periodic appointments.
Employers may be permitted to require certification under future Department of Labor/OPM regulations, creating a documentation burden for grieving employees.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Adds a 12-month FMLA bereavement leave for the death of a son or daughter, with certification, notice rules, paid-leave substitution, and limits on intermittent use.
Introduced April 6, 2026 by Brad Schneider · Last progress April 6, 2026
Adds a new, distinct FMLA-qualifying bereavement leave for the death of an employee's son or daughter. The leave is available for up to a 12-month period beginning on the date of death, may require certification if regulations are issued, allows substitution of paid leave, limits intermittent or reduced-schedule use unless the employer agrees, and applies existing spouse-same-employer limits and failure-to-return rules. The change also updates parallel federal civil service and local education employee rules to reflect the new leave category.