Bereavement Leave in Nevada
No state law requires bereavement leave in Nevada
Nevada has no state law requiring employers to provide bereavement leave. Nevada does require private employers with 50 or more employees to provide paid leave (SB 312, effective 2020) that employees may use for any reason, including bereavement.
What are your options?
If you work for a Nevada employer with 50 or more employees, you accrue paid leave (0.01923 hours per hour worked) that can be used for any purpose, including bereavement. Check your employer's policy. You may also use PTO or vacation time, or request unpaid time off.
Bereavement leave in Nevada: what you need to know
Nevada has no standalone bereavement leave law, but the state's paid leave law (SB 312, effective January 2020) provides an important safety net. Nevada requires private employers with 50 or more employees to provide up to 40 hours of paid leave per year that can be used for any reason. Like Maine's law, the absence of restrictions on the reason for use means bereavement is unambiguously covered.
Nevada's economy is dominated by gaming and hospitality (the Las Vegas Strip is the state's economic engine), mining (Nevada is the largest gold-producing state in the U.S.), healthcare, and a growing technology sector in the Reno-Sparks area. Workers in the gaming and hospitality industry are often covered by Culinary Workers Union (UNITE HERE Local 226) contracts that include bereavement provisions.
The Las Vegas Strip's major casino-resorts (MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn, Las Vegas Sands) are among Nevada's largest employers. Most offer bereavement leave through company policy or union contracts. Workers at smaller casinos, restaurants, and tourism businesses may have less generous or no formal bereavement policies.
Nevada state employees have leave provisions under the state personnel system. State employees may use sick leave for bereavement. The Nevada System of Higher Education (UNLV, UNR, CSN) has its own leave policies.
Nevada's 24/7 hospitality industry creates scheduling challenges for bereavement. Workers on swing shifts, graveyard shifts, or during peak convention periods may find it difficult to take time off. Nevada's paid leave law provides a legal floor, but the practical ability to use it depends on staffing and scheduling realities in your workplace.
Clark County (Las Vegas) accounts for the vast majority of Nevada's population and employment. The concentration of major casino-resort employers means that union contracts, particularly the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 agreement, set the standard for leave benefits across much of the workforce. When the Culinary Union negotiates bereavement provisions, those terms affect tens of thousands of workers. Non-union workers in the Las Vegas tourism industry should be aware that their employer may or may not match the union standard.
More Nevada workplace laws
Check other workplace law topics for Nevada:
Frequently asked questions about bereavement leave in Nevada
Yes. Nevada's paid leave law (SB 312) allows the leave to be used for any reason. You do not need to specify bereavement as the purpose. The law applies to employers with 50 or more employees and provides up to 40 hours per year.
Most major casino-resorts on the Strip offer bereavement leave. Many workers are covered by Culinary Workers Union contracts that include bereavement provisions. Check your union contract or employer policy for specific terms.
Nevada state employees may use accrued sick leave for bereavement. Contact the Division of Human Resource Management or your agency HR for specific provisions.
No. The law applies only to employers with 50 or more employees. Workers at smaller employers do not have this protection and must rely on their employer's voluntary policy.
Major mining companies operating in Nevada (Barrick Gold, Nevada Gold Mines, Newmont) typically offer bereavement leave. Many miners work on rotational schedules in remote locations, which can complicate leave logistics. Check your employer's specific policy.
Many Nevada construction workers, particularly in the Las Vegas area, are covered by union contracts (Laborers, Operating Engineers, Carpenters, IBEW) that include bereavement provisions. Non-union construction workers depend on their employer's voluntary policy. The construction industry's project-based nature can make scheduling bereavement leave complicated during active projects.