Recently, my partner's brother passed away. We'd shared a relationship, much like brothers, for seven years and he had become a cherished part of my life. His untimely demise left me in profound grief. Unfortunately, my employer refused to grant me bereavement leave, citing that my partner and I are not legally married. The narrow definition of 'family' used in this context added to my distress and made my partner and I feel invalidated in our grief.

The distress experienced is not unique to us. Countless others have found themselves in similar situations, struggling for empathy and validation from their employers during such tragic times. As per a report by Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), only 81% of organizations offer bereavement leave, and many of those limit it strictly to immediate family as defined by legal or biological ties.

Recent studies suggest that grief can impair mental function and occupational performance for a period of 6 months or even longer (source: American Psychological Association). Therefore, it's vital to update bereavement policies to reflect these realities and show genuine support to employees in times of loss.

We urge a change in this approach. The modern concept of 'family' is far more diverse and should be recognized as such in bereavement policies. We call on companies to broaden their bereavement leave policies to include a wider variety of relationships. It's essential to emphasize the human side of their human resources and meet their employees' needs during these times of personal crisis.

Don't let any more employees face the pain of unacknowledged loss. Please, sign this petition and help create more compassionate workplace bereavement policies.