Some companies are allowing pet bereavement days for employees who lose a best friend (even if they’re not human).
Anyone who has ever lost a pet (besides Michael Vick and/or Paris Hilton) can tell you that losing an animal you love is much like losing a family member, and a recent survey revealed that pet owners can experience feelings of loss and grief for up to six months. Companies are catching onto this, and offering pet bereavement days (mostly between 1-3 days). The pet insurance company Trupanion gives workers one paid pet bereavement day, and Kimpton hotels offer three.
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Trupanion spokesperson Dani Kahn states, “We allow people to actually do that grieving process and 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.”
From laboremploymentreport.com:
“Why is the leave needed? Sandra Grossman, a pet loss counselor, told the Wall Street Journal in an article on ‘The Challenge of Grieving for a Pet at Work,’ most grieving pet owners need up to a week away from work to get over the initial shock. In addition, a survey referenced in that article noted that nearly 1 in 3 people feel grief and sadness for at least 6 months after the pet’s death.”
It’s a big step in acknowledging how human emotions play into their productivity at work, and also possibly of greater benefit to the employers themselves. If a company offers 2 pet bereavement days, let’s say, and the affected employee is allowed to stay home or grieve however they may, psychology says they will return to work feeling grateful for the understanding and compassion of their teammates.
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