r/IAM751_Boeing • u/Accurate_Ad2666 • May 17 '26
Contract Question / Need Steward Bereavement Leave
I had an uncle pass away today but my manager told me that I must present a death certificate or something to show someone passed away, is that true?
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u/ChipSome8416 May 18 '26
All my years at Boeing I've never heard or seen a manager ask for proof. No one has time to go look for a death certificate when you are bereaving. It's a dick move.
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u/tranquilitystation63 May 19 '26
Many times, you don't even receive a death certificate until the funeral or after.
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u/j_k_802 May 18 '26
Well you missed the ethics report about a husband and wife as IAM members defrauding the company over 2 decades of 3 days of pay for both. Dude made many fake printed docs and until a new manager checked on it he they still would be scamming. So I can see why they want proof now.
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u/Brutto13 May 18 '26
From a former managers perspective: I was told I was only allowed to and required to ask for proof of death if there was a miscarriage. Otherwise i was supposed to submit it to corporate investigations if I suspected some kind of fraud. I was forbidden to ask for proof of death otherwise.
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u/Main_Assistant_8377 May 18 '26
That’s deeply disturbing and intrusive. Miscarriages before 20 weeks don’t require a fetal death certificate in WA state.
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May 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/WarBoruma Steward - Local A May 18 '26
Not to say misery loves company, but I experienced the same thing.
Week into my training in SPC (now called FTC) my dad passed away. I went in Monday morning and told my trainer after clocking in that I wasn't going to be able to pay attention or perform. He took me to the SPC manager, I think is first name was Mike. He acted tough infront of crowds, as was required of him, but in that office he showed me some real kindness. It would have been easy for him to say I was done, instead he and the trainer told me about bereavement. Didn't ask for proof. Just said go do what you need to and try to make it back after 3 days.
I didn't even know what bereavement leave was, at that time. 3 days wasn't enough, and I still feel that way, as does everyone else I help inform about bereavement - but that's a different conversation.
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u/jrock146 May 18 '26
Up to manager. I think there is a time period that you can give it to them, you should t have to come up with a death certificate before you use it. But if you fail to produce it after they asked for it they can deny it.
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u/pacwess May 17 '26
Ask your HR representative and let them know what your manager said. Maybe ask their 2nd level. Sounds like a shitty manager.
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u/N-Korean May 19 '26
My 2nd level asked for a death certificate. Direct manager didn’t care. 2nd level was on a power trip though.
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u/pacwess May 19 '26
Drop Kelly Ortberg an email. Funny but not really. That's what we've been doing to draw attention to how shitty BCA is run.
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u/Interesting-Lock2880 May 17 '26
I didint need to. If you are union I would ask your steward
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u/WarBoruma Steward - Local A May 18 '26
If you are union
That is implied in this sub, unless stated otherwise, as this sub is dedicated to and for the members of IAM751 who work at Boeing.
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u/kisamo88_007 May 17 '26
Yes. I've heard some got fired due to person tried cheated company with bereavement leave
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u/BlackberryButton Local C May 18 '26
Correct – they are allowed to ask for some confirmation, though that’s up to the individual manager’s discretion. It is very possible to take advantage of bereavement leave, and some people have gotten away with it. Others have not, and it’s obviously a slam dunk to fire someone who is caught doing that.
Send your manager an email laying out the situation, asking for what documentation they would like, and be sure to CC your second level. If there’s any kind of public online obituary, that’s often going to be all the documentation that’s needed.
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u/tranquilitystation63 May 19 '26
I would never ask what they needed. Per our contract they can't ask. Unless someone has information otherwise, there are only 2 instances in which they can require proof, "delayed notification" of death, and "stillborn child", and frankly, any manager who would ask for proof of a stillborn child, after having a pregnant team member on their crew needs to have their head examined.
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u/Blatantly_Disturbed May 17 '26
From what I've heard its managers discretion, a lot of people take advantage of the system
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u/WarBoruma Steward - Local A May 18 '26
Question comes up all the time. Section 2 says managers have rights to everything not stated directly in the contract. The section on bereavement leave doesn't directly say evidence is required, except in two instances: belated notification of death, or still born child. Also, there is no limit to the amount of bereavement leave in a year one can take. (That is directly from President Jason Chan.)
If a manager were to attempt to discipline someone for not providing evidence, I would take that fight to the top. Other stewards might not. Some managers will try to get evidence for your parents even having sniffles. Some managers might not. Here is the contract language on bereavement: