For pet lovers everywhere, losing a furry, feathered or scaled companion is like losing any other member of the family. It turns out that some employers are keying into that.

Although many companies offer personal time when an employee loses a pet, some are taking the extra step of providing paid pet loss bereavement leave. One reason may have to do with work productivity. Almost one-third of people who suffer the loss of a pet grieve for six months or more, and that can impact job performance. But many employers who value team members offer the benefit as an emotional aid as well.

This part of a benefit package can be a valuable recruitment perk. After all, it lets pet-owning applicants see up front that the company has priorities that jive with their own.