Losing a loved one is never easy, and most companies allow its employees to take time off to grieve. But what happens when it’s an employee’s pet that passes away? Do you tell employees to suck it up and come to work, or do you tell them to take a personal day? According to CBS Miami, pet bereavement has become the next trend in employee leave management.
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Tech companies like VMware and Maxwell Health are giving its employees flexible days off to grieve, while Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants are allowing managers to grant 3 days off for pet bereavement. Pet insurance company Trupanion allows its employees to take 1 day off with pay! According to a Trupanion spokesperson, “We allow people to actually do that grieving process and just, just be able to heal. I think you need closure when you lose a pet, and it’s important to have the time to do that.”
Just like with any death in the family, a pet’s death can be just as devastating. According to Janet Zimmerman, a pet loss counselor, “It’s really very, very difficult to function, and if you can’t function, you certainly can’t function at work, and you’re really not the person you were before. You need the time to get back to some sense of normality.” However, where does pet bereavement cross the line? Should reptiles and fish receive the same amount of bereavement as cats and dogs? It really depends on the employer’s policy.
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