HR19 Response to the Death of an Employee or Immediate Family Member

Policy #:
HR19
Responsible Authority:
Manager, Compensation, Pension and Benefits
Approval Authority:
President's Executive Committee
Executive Sponsor:
Vice President, Human Resources
Approval Date:
2002/09/25
Last Reviewed:
2011/08/15
Mandatory Revision Date:
2016/08/15
Downloadable Version:
Response to the Death of an Employee or Immediate Family Member

PURPOSE

To prescribe a set of administrative procedures to assist employees in dealing with the death of an employee or of a member of his or her immediate family.

SCOPE

All employees

DEFINITIONS

Word/Term

Definition

College Community

Students and employees

Immediate family

Spouse or partner of an employee and his or her immediate children

PECDD

President’s Executive Committee, Deans, Directors


POLICY

  1. The College provides assistance to employees in dealing with the death of an employee, or his/her immediate family by prescribing a set of administrative procedures.  These procedures will assist employees in dealing with internal communication  in a sensitive and expeditious manner.
  2. The College recognizes that employees and students  may need assistance in dealing with their grief and will put the Tragic Event Response Team (T.E.R.T.) at their disposal, if necessary.
    Reporting and Verification of Facts
  3. Any member of the College Community who learns of the death of an employee or of an immediate family member is requested to report it immediately to Human Resources, with  all known information concerning the individual and the circumstances of the death.
    Communication to Administrative and Academic Sectors
  4. Human Resources will distribute the “Notice – Death of an Employee” with all details known at the time to the following:
    - President
    - President’s Executive Committee, Deans and Directors
    - Coordinator of Tragic Event Response Team (T.E.R.T.)
    President’s Office Response
  5. The President’s Office will prepare and send a letter of condolence to the family of the deceased.  In the case of the death of an employee, the President’s Office will ensure that College flags are lowered from the date of the notification until the day of the funeral.
  6. The President’s Office will coordinate the sending of further condolences on behalf of the College (e.g. flowers, donations) to the family of the deceased employee.
    Internal Communication
  7. The College Community will be informed of the death of an employee through myAlgonquin, the College’s Intranet service. 


PROCEDURE


Action


Responsibility                         

1.

Report to Human Resource the death of an employee or that of a member of an employee’s immediate family.


Member of College Community

2.

Verify the details, complete the form Notice – Death of an Employee including details if available on the Funeral arrangements.  


Human Resources

3.

Distribute the Notice – Death of an Employee  to the administrative and academic sectors listed in item #4 above.  


Human Resources

4.

Prepare and send a letter of condolence to the family of the deceased.


President’s Office

5.

Lower the College flag from the date of notification until the day of the funeral in the case of the death of an employee.


President’s Office

6.

Send further condolences on behalf of the College (e.g. flowers, donations) to the family of the deceased employee. 


President’s Office

7.

Post the death of the employee on myAlgonquin.


Human Resources

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION
None

RELATED POLICIES
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RELATED MATERIALS
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