It is generally a good idea to assume that family members know little about your business. Providing basic instructions and answers to common questions in a brief information sheet can be very effective in putting a family at ease, especially those who are new to the experience and unfamiliar with your organization, personnel, and way of conducting business. Family members should be given some time to review this information before any discussion regarding services, products, or prices takes place. The funeral director should encourage appropriate spending, meaning the family should not be persuaded to purchase services or products beyond their financial means. It is often useful to designate a budget, then guide the family to purchase within that budget. Never sell beyond what a family needs. The funeral director should take the time to explain costs and products associated with the funeral service, including any “hidden” or additional costs, including cemetery charges, floral arrangements, the obituary listing or announcements or costs that will be incurred, even if they are not directly associated with the funeral home or funeral home’s services. If these associated costs are discounted or charged by arrangement with the funeral home, the director is legally and ethically responsible to inform the family regarding these details. Once the family selects the necessary products and services, the family should receive, review, and sign a Statement of Goods and Services, which shows that total cost of all items and services purchased, including the amounts the funeral home has paid on behalf of the family. The family should sign to confirm the price of services and merchandise selected, and associated fee, the price of The deceased It is unethical and, in some cases, illegal for the funeral director to permit any unauthorized individuals to witness the process in which the body is embalmed and otherwise prepared. Only the funeral director and staff members should be in attendance during preparation of the body. The body of the deceased should remain covered at all times, and care should be taken to cover the deceased’s genitals during the embalming. The clergy Funeral services located in a church or other religious institution should abide by the rules and regulations of the institution. The funeral director is usually responsible for communicating any special requests that the deceased or family members expect to be accommodated on the day of the funeral service. The funeral director should also schedule a meeting between the family and the clergy member prior to the date the service is performed. Professional colleagues High ethical standards means that the funeral director is not only responsible for his/her own actions, but also those of the immediate and extended staff. This means that you should only put your trust in people who are also beyond reproach, ensuring that they will feel the same responsibility to family members, clergy, and business concerns that you do. Do not assume business is being handled appropriately; investigate, and ensure, that adequate policies and procedures are in place to uphold your ethical standards. You have a role in protecting the public from fraud, misuse of funds, or misconduct.
desired supplemental items of service and products, and the amount advanced by the funeral director/home on behalf of the family. The funeral director should also inform family members at this time that they may be entitled to benefits from one or more of the following institutions: the Social Security Administration, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (if the deceased was a veteran, he or she may be entitled to a headstone or monetary reimbursement), armed forces, labor unions, and fraternal organizations, among others. Because these benefits may or may not apply, the funeral director and staff should not imply that these benefits are guaranteed, simply that they may be available. The funeral director should facilitate the filing process by helping the family members fill out and deliver these forms to the appropriate authorities. If further assistance is required, the funeral director should be able to refer the family to professional assistance. Families choosing cremation should be treated with the same dignity and respect as those who choose burial. The funeral director should be sure to review the details and options available to the family, as few family members are typically aware of their choices related to cremation. Beyond the responsibility for ensuring that the cremation takes place in the proper time frame, the funeral director and staff should always provide the family appropriate time and privacy to say goodbye to the deceased, as well as view the body to confirm its identity. It is customary that a funeral home charge for this service. If family members wish to observe the cremation, the funeral director should make arrangements for them to do so.
Everyone who has contact with the deceased should treat the body with great respect, using the same care and compassion that you would toward a member of your own family, with the same dignity as a cherished relative or friend. Authorized family members or close friends may be permitted to view the body, at the discretion of the family.
In cases where a stipend or honorarium is paid to the clergyman or the religious institution, it is commonly paid by check (for record-keeping purposes) through the funeral director. In cases where the family chooses not to or cannot afford to pay this stipend, this information should also be communicated to the clergy member before the service. It is a good idea to always confirm that the clergy accepts such payment, as some members of the clergy do not accept honoraria or accept it in some other form, such as payment to a building fund, for example. Funeral directors, embalmers, and direct disposition professionals should be properly trained in their responsibilities and appropriately compensated for the work they do. Employees and employers should enjoy a relationship of mutual respect and consideration, with employees provided positions with room for advancement and increasing income with ever greater responsibilities. In the case of apprenticeship and training for positions in the funeral services, including professional embalmers and funeral directors, the trainee should be under appropriate supervision at all times, and uphold the ideals of ethical and
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