This will help whilst dealing with the death of a current employee either at or outwith the workplace. This will assist with practicalities and making it as seamless and supportive as possible to both the bereaved family and to colleagues in this difficult situation.

This section will help you if:

• You are a manager who has been notified that one of your employees died whilst in Council employment, or whilst in attendance at work.
• You are a Cluster Manager / Chief Officer / Director with overall responsibility for a service where an employee has died.
• You are a colleague of an employee who has died whilst in employment.

1. Death in Service Overview

When employees die in service, we are faced with the difficult task of liaising with the next of kin/relatives on a variety of issues, as well as having to deal with the impact the employee’s death will have on work colleagues. Care obviously needs to be taken that this is carried out as sensitively and appropriately as possible. 

For casual workers who die in service the manager and/or service may not be notified at the time of death. In such circumstances the steps below should be followed but sensitive handling of communications would be required given the passage of time.

2. Cluster Responsibility

The Cluster is responsible for the communication/contact with the next of kin is tightly co-ordinated and that all appropriate Council Services are notified to ensure the associated administrative processes are completed. To ensure colleagues are notified and supported.

3. The Process

Relevant Documents and Links

• Death in Service Protocol
• Death in Service Termination Checklist
• Counselling Page

Click here to return to the main People Management page

Add a ‘Like’ and/or a ‘Rating’ below to indicate how useful you found this page