Assisting an employee dealing with a death in the family

[Flytdeck]

An issue came up recently concerning company policy to assisting an employee who had lost a close family member. Though leave was granted, the issue was not handled well when it came to supporting the employee. Prior to approaching HR, I would like some insight into how other airlines handle this matter in terms of leave and assistance to the bereaved individual.

Specifically, please share how your airline handles the matter helping an employee who has lost a close family member.

[Mr Angry from Purley]

Caring Mgmt, (limited) Comp leave, occasional contact by the Airline depending on the circumstances and an employee assistant programme.
Managing often gets difficult when extra time is required by the crew member.
i.e. when does the Company say take please can you take some annual leave to the Pilot. Difficult one as this often doesn't come naturally to a Pilot (in my experience)
NB: Different methods normally apply to ground staff

[mad_jock]

Depends a lot on the individual to be honest.

A set SOP doesn't work because everyone is different.

A child/spouse/sibling getting killed with an accident is one thing.

A elderly parent who has just been through 10 years of dementia is another.

Or a relative with diabetes issues/cancer who ahs gone down hill over say a year.

I have seen all of them and its a completely different kettle of fish with all of them and also the individual.

From the things I have seen..

The best I have seen to be honest was when there was a individual who had a talent for dealing with this sort of thing unfortunately through his own experience was given the job to deal with it. They were a pilot and a god botherer.

Solutions were.

The guy with the elderly mum with dementia had time off to deal with the funeral etc then was back online within a week.

The guy who's wife had cancer after the initial time off to deal with admin was placed on a part time roster for a year or so that he would have more time with the kids.

The guy that kid got killed in a car accident went through hell for two years to be honest. He went back to the RHS after 6 months and I don't know what the out come was.

I have only had to deal with two cases and both of them were elderly parents which to be honest I think both pilots were happy that there pain and confusion of a parent was at an end. After giving them initial tidy up time off I said call if you need set days off for lawyers etc and one of them took me up on it. They didn't seem to need any more support so I left them in peace.

[saddest aviator]

All I can say is the outfit I now work for has been fantastic. My wife was diagnosed with a life threatening condition and the companies attitude has been nothing short of mind blowing! Time off with pay commitments to facilitate repatriation at a moments notice and a boss who on meeting recently first asked "hows your wife" before anything else. I honestly can say I have never experienced the like before in this industry, a fine example of caring management which some other companies should take note of!:ok:

[R T Jones]

When my mum was diagnosed with a terminal and degenerative illness they made an exception to allow me to transfer basses on compassionate grounds to allow me to live at home. My immediate line manager has been very supportive thus far with if I've needed time off to help or because it has all been too much I've been pleasantly surprised. No complaints from me at all.
I agree that it does depend on the situation as to the different amounts of support the person needs. Remember, grief is as individual as the person.

[Kestral00p]

18 month's ago I lost my mum with cancer and I was pleasantly surprised with the companies reaction , On top of standard compassionate leave I was given extra leave and was told to take as much time as I needed on full pay, this was all done via email, they told me not to worry and sorted everything.
On returning to work my boss said he'd like to meet me ; I expected the worst but it turned out he simply wanted to see if I'm ok.

Also just before Christmas i lost my grandfather, again the company couldn't have been more understanding.


Still a few good companies out there, I'm very fortunate to be working for a company who really do care. Obviously their a business but they also put their people first.
:ok:

[macdo]

When my mother died I was told to take as long as I wanted away, when I came back CP called to check that I was really ok to return.
Within our airline pilots have been rebased after bereavement to help them.
I am pretty sure that a counselling service is available.
When I think about it, they are pretty good, really.
Major UK Charter.

[shaftsburn]

When my mother died my employer gave as much compassionate leave as I needed, on full pay. I was working overseas and was relatively young. I took a month off. During this time I was emailed by the DFO and CEO offering condolences. Both were very sincere and personal messages.

6 months later my father died and I was given 3 days compassionate leave. The rest was taken out of annual leave. It was a bit inconsistent with my previous loss, but was still under no pressure to return to work until ready.

There was no official employer counselling on offer, but I was very happy with their general support. On both occasions I was down-route when hearing the news. Plans were very quickly put in place to get me home asap. I was replaced down-route, back at base within a few hours then on the next flight home. Flights paid for by the company (full fare, long haul).

All comms via email, except the initial calls.
No follow up after returning to base.

[Rigger92]

I tend to read rather than comment, but how heartening it is to know that the industry still has compassion. After a number of years in the military (which can be spectacularly poor or unwaveringly kind), it is pleasant to see that my foray in the civilian airline industry is blessed with compassionate employers. Long may it continue

[ericferret]

When a member of staff was diagnosed with terminal cancer the company were brilliant.
His wife didn't drive so staff were available on call to assist. When he returned home and furniture had to be removed to allow a bed to be placed down stairs, the furniture was taken to the hangar and stored for the period needed. Very sad, but the company did all it could as did individuals.

[Heathrow Harry]

most outfits are pretty good around the actual death itself

problems sometimes arise when things with the deceased's estate or property have to be sorted out later

these can require attendance at legal or government offices at set times etc - often made worse if the survivor is in a different location or country to the deceased

I had a colleague whose mother died in Malta while he was working in the UK and he had quite a lot of problems for the year it took to sort things out although the company could not have been better around the actual death

[ericferret]

This thread brings to mind the death of a British contractor working for SAMCO at Maastricht. SAMCO paid fot the mans body to be repatriated. They gave members of staff who wished to attend the funeral time off and paid their travel expenses. They gave an invitation to the mans widow to visit Holland at the companies expense should she wish.
Not bad for someone who was not even an employee.

[Piltdown Man]

If the company fail to provide support then this becomes a union matter.

[A and C]

In the time following my Wife's diagnosis of terminal cancer the help, understanding and support I received from my airline ( technically not my employer) was first class, as is the way I have been treated since her death.

It is a stark contrast to the support given by her daughters employers ( outside the airline industry) who have offered very little help and no support.