Bereavement Leave in Oregon
Yes, bereavement leave is required in Oregon
Oregon requires employers with 25 or more employees to provide bereavement leave under the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA). Eligible employees may take up to 2 weeks of leave per family member death, with a maximum of 4 weeks per leave year. Leave is unpaid but employees may use accrued paid leave. Leave must be completed within 60 days of the death. Oregon has one of the broadest family member definitions of any state.
Key details
| Days allowed | Up to 10 days |
|---|---|
| Paid leave required? | No — Bereavement leave under OFLA is unpaid. However, employees may use accrued vacation, sick, personal, or other paid leave maintained by the employer. |
| Employer size | Applies to employers with 25+ employees |
| Qualifying relationships | spouse, same-sex domestic partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild |
| Consecutive days required? | No — Up to 2 weeks of leave per family member, with a maximum of 4 weeks in a leave year. Leave must be completed within 60 days of receiving notice of the death. If more than one family member dies, the employer cannot require the leave periods to run concurrently. |
| Effective date | January 1, 2014 |
| Statute | ORS 659A.150 through 659A.186 (Oregon Family Leave Act) |
Bereavement leave in Oregon: what you need to know
Oregon requires bereavement leave under the Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA). Eligible employees at employers with 25 or more employees may take up to 2 weeks of leave per family member death, with a maximum of 4 weeks per leave year if more than one family member dies. The leave is unpaid, but employees may use accrued paid time off.
Oregon's bereavement leave law is among the most generous in terms of duration. Two weeks per death is significantly more than the 3 to 5 days most employers offer voluntarily, and the 4-week annual cap for multiple deaths recognizes the devastating reality that some families face clustered losses. Oregon is also one of few states where the bereavement leave is specifically job-protected under a state family leave statute.
Oregon's economy is built on technology (Intel's largest manufacturing site is in Hillsboro, and Portland's Silicon Forest includes major tech employers), healthcare (OHSU, Providence, Legacy), forestry and wood products, agriculture (particularly the Willamette Valley's wine industry and nurseries), and outdoor recreation. The Portland metro area has a competitive benefits landscape where most employers offer bereavement leave beyond what OFLA requires.
Oregon also has a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program (Paid Leave Oregon) that provides wage replacement for qualifying events. While bereavement is not a specific qualifying event, grief-related health conditions may qualify for medical leave benefits. Combined with OFLA bereavement leave, Oregon workers have among the strongest leave protections in the country.
Oregon's eligibility requirements for OFLA bereavement leave include working for an employer with 25 or more employees, having been employed for at least 180 days, and having worked an average of at least 25 hours per week. Workers who do not meet these requirements are not covered by OFLA and must rely on their employer's voluntary policy.
More Oregon workplace laws
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Frequently asked questions about bereavement leave in Oregon
Oregon requires up to 2 weeks of bereavement leave per death under OFLA. If more than one family member dies in a leave year, you can take up to 4 weeks total. Leave must be completed within 60 days of receiving notice of the death.
No. OFLA bereavement leave is unpaid. However, you may use accrued vacation, sick, personal, or other paid leave to receive pay during your absence. Many Oregon employers offer paid bereavement leave beyond what OFLA requires.
Paid Leave Oregon does not specifically list bereavement as a qualifying event. However, if grief leads to a serious health condition, you may qualify for medical leave benefits under the program. A healthcare provider's certification is required.
OFLA covers spouses, same-sex domestic partners, children, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, and grandchildren. Oregon's family member definition is broader than some states but narrower than others like Vermont.
OFLA bereavement leave only applies to employers with 25 or more employees. If your employer is smaller, there is no state-mandated bereavement leave. You would need to rely on your employer's voluntary policy, accrued PTO, or request unpaid time off.