- Joined
- Dec 24, 2007
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Many of you know that my Father passed away earlier this year at the age of 51. In the age of 'every man for himself' and an economic downturn i was impressed by what his employer did for the family. Maybe this is a normal deal, but i figured i would share...
My Father worked for this railroad company for almost 30 years, so a solid dedicated employment but nothing monumental really.
After my Father passed, they sent a representative out to my parents house to discuss arrangements for insurance/pay/etc. Which i found nice that we didn't have to drive the hour to get to their office especially during this trying time. She explained that the company would pay for 3 months passed the current month of health insurance, pay out all of his holiday, sick, and other paid time off he was owed for the year, pay out his life insurance policy he held through them, and how they would pay his pension.
What surprised me here was they were even paying out his holiday pay for the whole year of 2009 up front. He passed in January. The pension states that spouses need to be 60 to collect, they started my mother right away, as well as including double what my sister was owed due to an untimely death.
At the visitations, not only did his immediate co-workers attend(lots of them), but the owner of the railroad himself attended as well. That impressed me greatly. His closest co-workers were pallbearers in the funeral and the rail-road not only paid them for the day, the allowed them to use some of their very nice company Cadillacs to attend.
Now what brought this up, just before Christmas, my mother recieved an envelope that included a very nice and heart felt typed and hand signed letter from the owner of the rail road with three 2010 calendars where they dedicated January to my father. This includes a photo of my Dad ascending the stairs to Engine 4009, the caption reads "Duane Clark ascends the ladder to Wisconsin Southern Engine 4009, one last time".
Also enclosed with that letter was $100 for my Mother and $50 each for me and my sister. Something else that was not anticipated at all but appreciated greatly none the less.
I am awestruck by the level of respect this company has shown for my father and his family. There are still companies out there that treat there employee's well even after employment has ceased.
Thank you, Wisconsin Southern Rail Road.
My Father worked for this railroad company for almost 30 years, so a solid dedicated employment but nothing monumental really.
After my Father passed, they sent a representative out to my parents house to discuss arrangements for insurance/pay/etc. Which i found nice that we didn't have to drive the hour to get to their office especially during this trying time. She explained that the company would pay for 3 months passed the current month of health insurance, pay out all of his holiday, sick, and other paid time off he was owed for the year, pay out his life insurance policy he held through them, and how they would pay his pension.
What surprised me here was they were even paying out his holiday pay for the whole year of 2009 up front. He passed in January. The pension states that spouses need to be 60 to collect, they started my mother right away, as well as including double what my sister was owed due to an untimely death.
At the visitations, not only did his immediate co-workers attend(lots of them), but the owner of the railroad himself attended as well. That impressed me greatly. His closest co-workers were pallbearers in the funeral and the rail-road not only paid them for the day, the allowed them to use some of their very nice company Cadillacs to attend.
Now what brought this up, just before Christmas, my mother recieved an envelope that included a very nice and heart felt typed and hand signed letter from the owner of the rail road with three 2010 calendars where they dedicated January to my father. This includes a photo of my Dad ascending the stairs to Engine 4009, the caption reads "Duane Clark ascends the ladder to Wisconsin Southern Engine 4009, one last time".
Also enclosed with that letter was $100 for my Mother and $50 each for me and my sister. Something else that was not anticipated at all but appreciated greatly none the less.
I am awestruck by the level of respect this company has shown for my father and his family. There are still companies out there that treat there employee's well even after employment has ceased.
Thank you, Wisconsin Southern Rail Road.
