Employee Illness or Death Notification and Acknowledgements

Purpose:

To provide guidelines for the notification and/or acknowledging the illness or death of a full-time or part-time college employee, family members, significant other, board member, or friends of the college. The procedures for implementation of this policy are provided below.

Procedure and/or Process Definitions:

Family: Includes spouse, children, parents, siblings, and domestic partner.

Full-time employees: Administrative and professional faculty; 9-month and 12-month teaching faculty, and classified staff.

Part-time employees: Adjunct teaching faculty and wage/hourly employees.

Other individuals with affiliations to the college: Appointed College Board members, individuals who have made significant contributions to the college.

Procedures:

1. Illness or Hospitalization

   1. Individuals who are notified of an illness or hospitalization of an employee are to immediately notify their department head/dean, who in turn will notify their executive cabinet member and the Office of Human Resources at (804) 523-5249. Human Resources will need the information to manage the employee’s benefits.

   2. Individual department head/dean may need to notify their individual department of the employee’s status, but must do so without disclosing any private health information. Human Resources should be consulted in providing notification to members of the department.

   3. If an acknowledgement from the college is requested, the department head/dean shall provide detailed information to the Office of Human Resources. In turn, Human Resources will coordinate with the president’s executive assistant on the appropriate acknowledgement.

2. Death of an Individual

   1. Individuals who are notified of the passing of an employee, employee’s spouse or family member should notify their department head/dean. Upon confirmation of the passing of an employee, an employee’s spouse or family member, the department head or dean must notify the executive cabinet member and the Office of Human Resources at (804) 523-5249. The notification should include:

      • The employee’s full name and position
      • The family’s preferred contact information
      • Any available funeral or memorial service details (with family’s permission)

   2. With consent of the employee or the family, Human Resources will coordinate with the president’s executive assistant on the appropriate acknowledgement.

   3. The Office of Human Resources will communicate the employee’s passing or notice of the death of an employee’s spouse or family member to the college community.

   4. The passing of an individual with affiliation to the college shall be coordinated by the Office of Human Resources with the Office of the President. Acknowledgements shall be sent as appropriate.

Other Information:

Employee Support

The Office of Human Resources is available to discuss the need for on-site grief counseling or other support needed as provided by local agencies and/or the Commonwealth’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Employee Records

In the event of an employee’s death, department managers shall take the necessary steps below. The Office of Human Resources is available to provide assistance.

1. Refer the deceased employee’s family and/or representative to the Office of Human Resources for information regarding pay, benefits, insurance, retirement, etc., at (804) 523-5249.

2. Request from the deceased employee’s family and/or representative the return of all college-issued items.

3. Coordinate with the deceased employee’s family and/or representative, the retrieval of personal effects from the workplace.

4. Supervisor/department manager is to complete the employee separation checklist, Separating Employee Checklist – Part A or Separating Employee Checklist for Wage/Hourly and Adjunct Faculty.