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Committee receives Santa Clara County bereavement policy report; asks staff to identify dedicated contacts
Summary
The Finance and Government Operations Committee received a report from the Employee Services Agency on the county's bereavement notification processes and asked staff to designate a small team to lead family communications when employees die while employed by the county.
The Finance and Government Operations Committee on Jan. 22 received a report from the Employee Services Agency on the county's bereavement policy and its notification process for families of employees who die while employed by Santa Clara County.
Rhonda Schmidt, employee benefits director for the Employee Services Agency, presented the report and answered committee questions. Schmidt confirmed staff provided no slide presentation but were available to respond to questions.
Vice Chairperson Ellenberg said she "appreciated the report laying out how we actually do engage with families" and praised the speed of notifications intended to relieve financial worries for survivors. A committee member asked the agency to prepare an off-agenda update identifying a designated team of two to three staff who would lead the bereavement notification and family engagement process, so responses are consistent from case to case.
Schmidt confirmed staff would take the request under consideration and respond to follow-up questions. There were no public comments on the item.
The committee moved to receive the report and approved that motion by roll call. Vice Chairperson Ellenberg and the presiding chair voted yes; the committee recorded the motion as passed.
The committee did not adopt policy changes at the meeting; it received the report and requested follow-up identifying a small, consistent team to manage bereavement notifications and family communications.
