ARTICLE 17

Bereavement Leave

Section 1.

(a)       An employee who is absent from work on a scheduled workday (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, vacations, and authorized leaves of absence) for the purpose of attending the funeral of a member of his immediate family will be compensated for time necessarily lost by reason of such absence up to a maximum of three (3) days.  For the purpose of this subsection, immediate family is defined as spouse, father, mother, grandparents, grandchildren, sister, brother, child, parent of current spouse, stepparents, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and stepchild if brought up and supported as though a natural child.  Compensation for such absence will be made for not more than eight (8) hours on any one day of absence at the employee's regular base hourly wage rate plus cost-of-living allowance exclusive of all premiums, bonuses, or overtime allowances.

(b)               Payment shall not be made for such absences unless the employee claiming such payment shall have notified his supervisor promptly upon learning of the death of his relative.  Verification acceptable to the Company of the death of and relationship of the relative of the employee claiming such payment shall be given the Company upon request.  Payment shall be made in the pay period immediately following the date(s) the employee was absent for the purposes of attending the funeral.