My "Step" Father of 27 years (I'm 33 now) recently passed away and my employer denied funeral leave for me b/c our contract between our department and township states funeral leave is for "Immediate family" defined as father, mother, brother, sister, wife, husband, of the employee. My Step Father raised me since I was 6, was married to my mother, and we lived together for over 20 years. He was my father. Should I have been granted the time under the contract?

Tough to say.

Take the agreement to an attorney.

Unless it is in the agreement, there is no state or federally mandated funeral leave.

I agree that it sounds like he acted "in loco parentis" (in the place of a parent)....did he adopt you?

Is this an individual employment contract or are you a member of a union?

I am a member of a union. And Yes it does sound like "in loco parentis", thanks.

I'd speak to your union steward next, then.