Employee disaster relief: A practical guide for HR leaders

Smoke fills the sky over Southern California neighborhoods as another fire season forces thousands to evacuate their homes. For HR leaders across the affected communities, the focus shifts from routine operations to a critical mission: supporting employees through a natural disaster. While we can’t control when disasters strike, we can control how we respond to our employees’ needs during these challenging times.

Immediate financial relief

The most pressing concern for affected employees is often financial security. Consider implementing a comprehensive support package that includes:

• Housing assistance for evacuated employees through direct payment for temporary accommodations or housing stipends. This removes one immediate stressor during an already overwhelming time.
  
  
• Emergency relief funds that can be used for essential items like clothing, food and toiletries. Creating a flexible spending program with clearly defined “eligible expenses” ensures support reaches employees quickly while maintaining appropriate oversight.
  
  
• Additional paid time off that doesn’t count against existing PTO balances. Some companies are offering up to two weeks of crisis leave, allowing employees to focus on their families and recovery without worrying about depleting their regular time off.
  

Resources and support services

Beyond immediate financial assistance, employees need access to comprehensive support services. Your existing benefits portfolio likely includes valuable resources that can be mobilized during a crisis.

Employee assistance programs are particularly valuable during disasters. Work with your EAP provider to create a specialized resource guide covering financial coaching, legal consultations and mental-health support. Make these resources easily accessible by providing direct links rather than requiring employees to navigate complex portals.

Consider subsidizing care services for children, elderly family members and pets. As employees juggle insurance claims, temporary housing arrangements and other crisis-related appointments, reliable care services become essential but can be scarce in affected areas.

Communication and accessibility

Create a centralized information hub that addresses:

• Local emergency resources and contact information
• Insurance claim procedures and documentation requirements
• Mental-health support options and crisis-counseling services
• Employer-provided benefits and how to access them
• FSA/HSA-eligible items that might be particularly useful during the crisis.

Partner with disaster-response experts to provide recorded webinars on topics like insurance claims, disaster recovery and emotional resilience. These resources allow employees to access critical information at their own pace while dealing with the crisis.

Some companies are providing additional wellness support through meditation apps like Calm, recognizing that mental well-being is crucial during times of upheaval. Others are matching employee donations to local relief organizations or allowing employees to support colleagues’ emergency fundraising efforts.

A true measure of an organization isn’t just how it operates during normal times, but how it shows up for its people during a crisis. By implementing these support measures, HR leaders can provide more than just assistance—they can offer hope and stability when employees need it most.