Parental Bereavement Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
Introduced
Summary
Creates a new 12-month FMLA leave for the death of a son or daughter. This bill would add a standalone entitlement to the Family and Medical Leave Act for grieving parents and extend matching rules to federal civil service and local educational agency employees while setting notice, certification, scheduling, and paid-leave substitution rules.
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- Families and workers: Employees could take leave up to 12 months after a child's death, and the child may be any age for this leave.
- Federal civil service employees: Civil service workers would receive the same death-based entitlement under Title 5, with a 12-month expiration, limits on intermittent or reduced schedules without agency agreement, and certification rules set by the Office of Personnel Management.
- Local educational agency employees: LEA staff would get aligned protections with adjustments for foreseeable leave during the school year and clarifications about medical treatment and eligibility.
- Employers: Employers may require reasonable and practicable notice for foreseeable death-based leave, can require certification under regulation, and may prohibit intermittent or reduced-schedule use unless they agree with the employee.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
How bereavement leave works
If enacted, eligible employees would be able to substitute accrued paid leave to stay paid while on bereavement leave. If the need for leave is foreseeable, employees would have to give their employer reasonable and practicable notice. The bill would also stop employees from taking the bereavement leave in pieces or on a reduced schedule unless the employee and employer agree.
New bereavement leave for parents
If enacted, the bill would add a new job-protected leave reason for the death of a son or daughter for federal employees and workers covered by the FMLA. The bill would say the child may be any age for this leave. That specific bereavement leave would have to be used within 12 months after the child's death.
Employer certification and return rules
If enacted, agencies or employers could require a certification for death-based leave only if OPM (for federal employees) or the Secretary (for FMLA) issues rules describing timing and form. If those rules exist, employees would have to provide the certification on time. The bill would also put death-based leave into the rules that govern what happens if an employee does not return to work.
School staff and spouse leave rules
If enacted, the bill would change FMLA rules for local school (LEA) employees so foreseeable bereavement is treated like foreseeable medical treatment for notice and limits. It would also add bereavement leave to the rule that counts spouses' leave together when both work for the same employer. These changes affect school employees and couples who both work for the same employer.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Casten
IL • D
Sponsored 4/6/2026
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Grijalva
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/22/2026
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 4/28/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov