Funeral Assistant/Removal Staff

Funeral Assistant Job Summary-Multiple Locations
Work under the supervision of an experienced funeral director to help grieving families give their loved ones a final goodbye that signifies dignity and respect. We always strive to give our professional best during services while also being caring and helpful. You will work with a small team to prepare and conduct funeral services or funeral related events. You should be comfortable working directly with clients and family members of the deceased. If you want to help people in a time of need, and provide a positive service to the community, then this may be the job for you. We want to help you grow your career in the funeral services field, so we do offer plenty of opportunities for advancement.

Job Responsibilities

• Maintain the Confidentiality as it relates to each client family including medical conditions/status, autopsy, or other things not known to the general public such as Social Security Numbers, etc.
• Protecting Confidentiality of employee information such as rates of pay, home addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, medical conditions, etc.
• Provide transportation for clients and their loved ones to and from the coroner, funeral home, cemetery, or place of death.
• Ensure the proper paperwork accompanies the deceased, i.e. burial transit permit, cremation authorization, or other paperwork necessary to gather appropriate information about the deceased.
• Set a time for the arrangement conference letting the family know what to bring with them such as clothing, a picture, and notes for the obituary.
• Ensure the proper paperwork is completed prior to leaving the residence, hospital, long term care facility, or hospice facility, etc. to include next of kin information, medical certifier, time and date of death, etc.
• Upon transporting a deceased from place of death to the funeral home, ensuring a facility identification tag is placed on the deceased with name and time of death, and taking a thumbprint for identification purposes.
• Prepare the funeral home by cleaning, setting up lights, arranging flowers, setting up chairs, and other seating for viewings and/or services.
• Assist guests as they arrive at funeral events by directing parking, greeting them, and leading them to the correct chapel area.
• Answer questions and offer assistance to clients in coordination with the funeral director to help arrange funeral services.
• Work with a team to prepare the funeral home and burial sites with personalized items as requested by clients.
• Act as a liaison between the client family and funeral director by obtaining information pertaining to parking, pall bearers, and other things such as what stays in the casket with the deceased, what comes out, delivering flowers and/or food to a specified location after the service, etc.
• Clean, store, and move funeral equipment as needed to set up and clean up after funeral services.
• Answer phone calls and set up meetings for the funeral director, answer general questions about the funeral home and services offered and assist director with making legal and other administrative arrangements for scheduled funerals.
• Perform body preparation tasks under the direct supervision of the funeral director.
• Greet and receive families in an appropriate manner.
• Offer friendly assistance to all those entering the facility.
• Offer use of the facility handicap access ramp to those whom may need its use.
• Perform a variety of tasks to help funerals run smoothly.
• Drive lead car, hearse, or family limousine in the funeral cortege.
• Act as a pallbearer.
• Perform general maintenance duties such as changing light bulbs, and unclogging sinks and toilets, and other duties as necessary.
• Ensuring bathrooms are in working order and properly cleaned and stocked with paper towels, toilet paper, and hand soap.
• Assist with cremations, and with the processing and packaging of cremated remains.
• Preparing and mailing cremated remains, personal belongings, or death certificates to the authorizing agent/next of kin.
• Perform other duties as directed by management or a licensed funeral director to include but not limited to: dressing and casketing the deceased, picking up death certificates, doing facility laundry, washing, waxing, and detail cleaning of facility vehicles, maintaining a vehicle maintenance schedule of oil changes and tire rotations, dismissing funerals, directing traffic when the funeral cortege exits the funeral home, making memorial folders, DVD’s, or music CD’s, etc.

Job Skills & Qualifications

Reqiured:
• High school diploma or GED
• Ability to lift at least 100 pounds
• Valid driver’s license
• Available to work nights, weekends, holidays, and to be on call
• Must have an attention to detail and excellent communication skills
• Basic knowledge of word processing
• Ability to manage distressing and stressful situations with sensitivity and care
• Active listening skills

Preferred:
• A desire to advance in the field of mortuary science
• Experience working in customer service
• Associates/Bachelor’s Degree in Mortuary Science
• Mortuary Science Apprentice/Intern
• Knowledge of burial customs
• Can pass a background check

Job Type: Full-time, Part-Time, Internship Opportunities
Pay: $12.00 - $18.00 per hour