Funeral Pay for Miscarriage

Jackie

How far would you extend funeral pay when there is a miscarriage in pregnancy?

Have an employee whose spouse miscarried. From details I have, she was 5 months along, had problems & went to ER where they told her the baby was dead in her womb. She apparently had a delivery, the couple spent some time with the baby, named it, and are holding a funeral this week. We are allowing this for funeral pay.

However, in future, if a pregnant employee (or spouse of employee) has a sudden miscarriage early in pregnancy (i.e. bleeding, etc.) without a delivery or funeral, we do not think we would be obligated to pay employee for funeral pay.

Would this interpretation hold up?

Rockie

I would agree with this. If an employee is far enough along in her pregnancy to actually deliver a child and have a funeral, then I feel the compassionate thing would be to allow funeral pay. If it is a spontaneous miscarriage, I would say no. This is a fine line to walk,though.

It's like our policy where we grant funeral leave for a mother or a father. I have gotten several requests "Well, this lady was like a mother to me." Somewhere you have to draw the line or else just let employees take off for any and all reasons they deem necessary.

atherese

Minnesota views any fetus that dies at 20 weeks gestation or more as a stillborn. So at 20 weeks or more, the baby needs to have a burial through a funeral home. That is the criteria that we use for funeral leave, if the baby was 20+ weeks (stillborn) then funeral leave applies for arrangements and services.