Death of a Faculty or Staff Member

Everyone grieves in their own way and in their own time. There are, however, typical stages that people experience as they move through the grieving process. 

• Shock and denial. Feelings of shock, disbelief, numbness or detachment are common. The bereaved may appear to be coping well because they have not fully accepted the loss.
• Separation. The reality of the separation begins to sink in. This period involves intense emotions that include anger, guilt, fear, sadness, yearning and sometimes even relief.
• Depression. The intense pain associated with the separation stage begins to subside, leaving in its place an ongoing ache and feeling of sadness and emptiness.
• Acceptance. People entering this phase are gradually coming to an acceptance of their loss, moving forward and letting go, establishing new routines and directions.

Caring for Yourself
Coping with the death of a loved one or someone close to us is one of the most difficult challenges of our lives. While it is true that we will all face numerous losses throughout our lives, when the loss is someone close to us, someone we care about, the loss triggers a grieving process that may impact our way of living, both at home and at work/study.

Grief and the grieving process is very personal and unique to each of us. The way grief impacts each of us will depend on the loss we've suffered, our religious beliefs, the relationship we had, our resiliency and our own mental and physical health. Grieving does not have a particular duration. Mourning a loss can take weeks, months, or even years. While grieving is a process, talking to someone about your feelings can help you work through the process and at your own pace. The university's Employee and Family Assistance Program is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 780-428-7587 and can be accessed by all staff, faculty and eligible dependents.

The following information complements the UAPPOL Death of a Staff Member - University Response Procedure . It expands on the responsibilities of HRHSE and outlines support that faculties and departments can expect to receive. 

HRHSE will:

• Liaise with the faculty/department to coordinate appropriate resources and support through the Employee and Family Assistance Program provider via the EFAP Administrator.
• Connect you with HRHSE resources as necessary through your HR Partner. Each situation is unique and likely the result of various circumstances. Care and sensitivity must be taken in how the information is presented. When the message is communicated, it is critical that information on how individuals can access support services is included. If your faculty or department would like assistance on how to deliver this difficult message, please contact your HR Partner and your Communications Partner who can assist you.
• Issue notification to all administrative areas to ensure the information to complete necessary administrative processes is complete. This will ensure that:
  • the family receives communication providing notification of their primary contacts for questions and/or concerns
  • the outstanding employment income is processed
  • the beneficiary/executor is contracted to process and finalize benefits and pensions and coordinate through the respective carriers for claims processing and benefits coverage
• Conduct periodic check-ins in the coming months to ensure appropriate services are provided as necessary.

Bereavement is an issue that many people find uncomfortable. Ensure faculty and staff are aware of the support offered through the university's Employee and Family Assistance Program. However, some individuals may find talking about their feelings with others within their department/faculty offers closure and assists in finding a way to come to terms with the passing of their colleague or coworker.

We recognize that you as a leader have a unique role to play in communicating and managing colleagues and co-workers following a death. For guidance around having sensitive or difficult conversations, accessing the Workplace Advice Line  through the Employee and Family Assistance Program may be beneficial. The Workplace Advice Line is designed for managers and supervisors dealing with difficult workplace situations, such as notifying colleagues of a death or supporting a grieving co-worker.

The following resources provide information to support grieving co-worker(s):

• Grieving While Returning to Work  
• Supporting a Grieving Co-worker
• Critical Incident Management Resources
• Dealing with the loss of a colleague