Midway Primary was one of ninety-five employers, representing 38 states plus Washington D. C., recently recognized by The Compassionate Friends for showing extra sensitivity to bereaved employees following the death of a child.  The Compassionate Friends (TCF) is the nation’s largest self-help bereavement organization with 600 chapters serving all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.  Nominated by the person directly helped, Midway received the Compassionate Employer Recognition in 2008 for going above and beyond the normal policies of most companies in helping their employees when the death of a child occurred.

Criteria for Compassionate Employer Recognition include, but are not limited to:

1. Allowing additional time off without loss of benefits.
2. Allowing flexible work schedules and assignments.
3. Allowing leeway in job performance standards.
4. Fostering an environment of mutual support among coworkers.
5. Providing professional grief counseling, human resources support, or information regarding self-help bereavement organizations.
6. Other policies and practices that go beyond what is normal in the community.

This is the eighth year for recognition of employers, with recipients jumping from three the first year, to the current 95 for 2008. Employers being recognized range from small companies with as few as four employees to large companies with as many as 10,000.

The 2008 recipients of TCF’s Compassionate Employer Recognition are available on the website compassionatefriends.com

“So often employees who have experienced the death of a child are expected to return to work in three days, handle the same work load as before, and to leave their grief at home,” says Patricia Loder, Executive Director of The Compassionate Friends. “There is oftentimes a lack of understanding by employers about the realities of grief in the workplace. These employers, large and small, public and private, are being recognized for providing the compassion and understanding that is so vital to the bereavement process.”