When Disaster Strikes...HR's Role in Recovery

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Two weeks after the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina were first felt on the Gulf Coast, thoughts are just beginning to turn from rescue to recovery.  It will take a significant amount of time to regain any normalcy to those areas that were hardest hit.  Members of the human resource industry, as well as the general business world, are doing their part to help those whose lives have been severely affected by what has been described as “the worst natural catastrophe in American history.”

As SHRM President and CEO, Sue Meisinger wrote in an email to SHRM members dated September 2^nd, “A tragedy of this magnitude will require the assistance of the entire nation in rebuilding the communities that were in the path of the storm. SHRM stands ready to do everything within our power to help the victims and the affected areas to recover.”  True to her word, SHRM spearheaded recruitment efforts for the American Red Cross in their search for volunteer Staff Relations Associates.  At last report, the American Red Cross was overwhelmed by the outpouring of generosity from SHRM members.  They received hundreds of resumes from caring and knowledgeable HR professionals, and for now, have been able to call off the recruitment efforts.  

Gulf Coast employers have been working diligently to ensure the well-being of their top priority…their employees.  In the SHRM Online article, “HR Professionals Scramble after Katrina, Urge Donations,” author Kathy Gurchiek explains that there are helpful options available.   “Employers often attempt to alleviate problems that employees face when a catastrophic event such as a hurricane occurs.  They do this by using emergency relief funds or emergency loans, by operating leave donation programs that allow colleagues to donate their paid time off or medical leave to those who have exhausted their own supply of employer-provided days off.”

Many organizations have been able to provide work, shelter, and food for their displaced employees during these difficult times.  Some have even guaranteed jobs at other locations so that their employees can continue to receive a steady paycheck.  Certain large corporations, like Wal-Mart, have been able to take the caring a step further by not only offering jobs to all of their displaced workers, but also by donating to the relief effort $20 million in cash, 1,500 truckloads of merchandise, and enough food for 100,000 meals.  "Wal-Mart has raised the ante for every company in the country.  This is going to change the face of corporate giving," stated Adam Hanft, chief executive of Hanft Unlimited, a New York branding and marketing firm in the Houston Chronicle article, “Wal-Mart's Response to Katrina Lauded.”

How many jobs have been lost due to Hurricane Katrina?  The MSNBC.com article, “10,000 Katrina-related Jobless Claims Filed,” reported that approximately 400,000 individuals are now out of work due to the disaster.  Jobless claims are expected to soar from the current 10,000 to an unprecedented number.    Understanding the need for displaced individuals to find work, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has relaxed the I-9 standards and, for the next 45 days, will not sanction employers who hire people who lack documentation of their citizenship as a result of Hurricane Katrina.  “For victims of Hurricane Katrina, many individuals lack these documents as a result of being evacuated from their homes, loss or damage to personal items and records, and ongoing displacement in shelters and temporary housing. Additionally, as a result of the widespread damage and destruction to government facilities in the area affected by the hurricane it can be expected that many victims will be unable to apply and receive new documents in the period of time required by the employment verification rules,” stated DHS.  At the end of the 45 days, DHS will review the policy and make further recommendations. 

In the meantime, various Katrina focused job boards have been set up allowing employers to fill open positions with evacuees, such as America’s Job Bank, Hireability, Katrina Job Relief, KatrinaJobs.org, and PostKatrinaTalent.org.

For business owners anxiously looking for a place to “set up shop,” websites such as Craigslist and those of industry-specific professional associations have been accepting postings of generous offers of office space, computer access, and other resources from organizations throughout the country.

There are countless other ways for HR professionals to take a visible and impactful role in recovery when disaster strikes, including organizing staff fundraisers, ensuring employees receive EAP counseling if needed, and matching employee charitable donations.  It’s important to remember that every effort, no matter how great or how small, helps to bring out the true meaning of the word “human” in “human resources.”     

For a full list of charitable organizations accepting donations for the relief effort, visit CNN’s Hurricane Katrina’s Help Center.