Blue Cross Ashby was nominated by Marge Johnson, Administration Support Officer, who suffered a sudden and tragic loss in her family in March last year.  Blue Cross was recognised alongside 16 other organisations in Victoria who also received an award this year.

The TCF Awards recognise the following employer qualities:

• Employer who has personally supported an employee through their bereavement.
• Employer who has arranged for additional time off, beyond the familiar three days bereavement leave.
• Those who have provided support services and/or time off work to obtain counselling.
• Caring attitude and ability to empathise demonstrated by the employer’s entire workforce.
• those who have showed flexibility in work assignments during the stress associated with the death of a loved one.
• other aspects of compassion that the bereaved will remember forever.

The Compassionate Friends (TCF) are a support group who provide help to people who are bereaved as well as information and education about the grief experience, so as to help those in the community to become more understanding of the impact of grief on the individual.

TCF believes that employers who have shown extra care and compassion to employees – going above and beyond the normal policies of most companies in helping employees who have suffered the death of a loved one deserve to be recognised.

Blue Cross does not do these things for recognition, but to support our most valuable asset, the wonderful people who work with us and support our clients. TCF hopes that the awards will encourage other employers to review their current bereavement practices.