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Heartless employer

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Jaxine

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? CA



When my sister passed away suddenly, I notified
her employer immediately and waited to be contacted
about what needed to be done.

After 5 days with no response, I called again to
inquire about her final affairs, including personal
possesions, final paycheck and any insurance she
may have had. I also faxed my power of attorney on
that day. My calls were not returned.

On the 8th day, I called again to inquire again
about anything I need to take care of, and finally
got a hold of her. She informed me that she had
sent my sisters final paycheck to her address on
the same day I faxed my POA and told me that was
the end of her responsibilities and abruptly ended
the call.



After having my sisters mail monitored by neighbors
and the post master, I called again to inform the
employer that the check may have been lost, and that
I still need to know how to aquire my sisters personal
possessions, and treasured photographs, and any
insurance information. I also asked when I will be
contacted with information as to what I need to have
done, or papers I need to sign. I live in another
city.

She told me she knows what she is doing, and promptly
hung up on me.

I am completely devastated by my sisters death, and
I dont understand why this employer is making it so
much harder on me. Is this normal to have to deal with
an employer such as this?

She has not ever contacted me at all about anything, and
just seems to be ignoring me as if I will just go away.
All contact about my sisters death has been made by me,
even though she knows how to reach me.

It's been a month, and she has never initiated a single
call to me to let me know what needs to be done. Nobody
from that office has contacted me at all.

Any advice would be appreciated, I've never had to deal
with anything like this, and I just don't know what to
do.What is the name of your state?
 


Betty

Senior Member
Is this a large employer with a Human Resources Dept.? I would call & ask to speak to the head of HR & ask them how you can obtain your sister's possessions & if there was any life ins. on her life through the employer, etc. Sorry about your sister & for all your problems.
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
Betty said:
Is this a large employer with a Human Resources Dept.? I would call & ask to speak to the head of HR & ask them how you can obtain your sister's possessions & if there was any life ins. on her life through the employer, etc. Sorry about your sister & for all your problems.
The problem with this is that all the poster has is a power of attorney which is useless. The employer can tell her LEGALLY to kiss off. Now, if she had opened probate and been issued Letters Testimentary, she would have legal rights but not now.
 

AMBERDBLUE

Junior Member
Sorry for your loss. Is it possible to take a day off work and go to your sisters old place of employment and ask to collect her stuff? Can you call the Labor board about benefits that are owe to you or the benficiary of your sisters will. I.e. vacation time, 401K, paychecks, un used sick days? I'd try that. IN PERSON, .....with a smile!


Jaxine said:
What is the name of your state? CA



When my sister passed away suddenly, I notified
her employer immediately and waited to be contacted
about what needed to be done.

After 5 days with no response, I called again to
inquire about her final affairs, including personal
possesions, final paycheck and any insurance she
may have had. I also faxed my power of attorney on
that day. My calls were not returned.

On the 8th day, I called again to inquire again
about anything I need to take care of, and finally
got a hold of her. She informed me that she had
sent my sisters final paycheck to her address on
the same day I faxed my POA and told me that was
the end of her responsibilities and abruptly ended
the call.



After having my sisters mail monitored by neighbors
and the post master, I called again to inform the
employer that the check may have been lost, and that
I still need to know how to aquire my sisters personal
possessions, and treasured photographs, and any
insurance information. I also asked when I will be
contacted with information as to what I need to have
done, or papers I need to sign. I live in another
city.

She told me she knows what she is doing, and promptly
hung up on me.

I am completely devastated by my sisters death, and
I dont understand why this employer is making it so
much harder on me. Is this normal to have to deal with
an employer such as this?

She has not ever contacted me at all about anything, and
just seems to be ignoring me as if I will just go away.
All contact about my sisters death has been made by me,
even though she knows how to reach me.

It's been a month, and she has never initiated a single
call to me to let me know what needs to be done. Nobody
from that office has contacted me at all.

Any advice would be appreciated, I've never had to deal
with anything like this, and I just don't know what to
do.What is the name of your state?
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
AMBERDBLUE said:
Sorry for your loss. Is it possible to take a day off work and go to your sisters old place of employment and ask to collect her stuff? Can you call the Labor board about benefits that are owe to you or the benficiary of your sisters will. I.e. vacation time, 401K, paychecks, un used sick days? I'd try that. IN PERSON, .....with a smile!
And again, under what theory of law do you think she has any rights to any possessions of her sister or information.
 

AMBERDBLUE

Junior Member
Your right of course. I was assuming that her sister had left in charge of dealing with this stuff. Thats why I said if she was the beneficiary.

BelizeBreeze said:
And again, under what theory of law do you think she has any rights to any possessions of her sister or information.
 

Jaxine

Junior Member
Thank you all for your replies. My sister didn't have a will, and I
guess I'm not allowed to know about any insurance through her
work or what will happen to her personal belongings.

I didnt realize how worthless POA is, and there is no HR dept that
I can contact, only this horror of a woman that I've had to deal
with.

I'm learning that an employer can treat a surviving family member
any way they wish, and to offer any sort of help or information is
a courtesy and not an obligation. It's all very disheartening since
I have only been polite with my inquiries, only to be rebuffed the
few times I was able to contact her. Live and learn I guess.
 

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
Jaxine said:
Thank you all for your replies. My sister didn't have a will, and I
guess I'm not allowed to know about any insurance through her
work or what will happen to her personal belongings.

I didnt realize how worthless POA is, and there is no HR dept that
I can contact, only this horror of a woman that I've had to deal
with.

I'm learning that an employer can treat a surviving family member
any way they wish, and to offer any sort of help or information is
a courtesy and not an obligation. It's all very disheartening since
I have only been polite with my inquiries, only to be rebuffed the
few times I was able to contact her. Live and learn I guess.
Listen, before you start beating up the employer, tell us why she should talk to you at all since you have no legal right to handle your sister's affairs?

For all the employer knows you are or have been estranged from your sister and are now trying to get information so that you can steal any inheritance her other relatives might have, or you are a complete stranger who has a fake ID and is trying to steal her identity.

If you want to throw around baseless accusations, go elsewhere for help. If you want help, then file Probate as required by law, get letters testimentary issued then you have a legal right to the things you seek.
 

tigger22472

Senior Member
I am curious how, when or why the OP had or got a POA on her sister. If the death was unexpected, what was the reasoning for the POA prior to death because any POA obtained after was likely fraudulent, let alone useless since POAs end with death.
 

nextwife

Senior Member
THe employer has NO legal obligation to tell you anything or to resend a check. A POA is ONLY valid until death, after death it is invalid. Until you have established your legal authority to act on behalf of the estate, the employer not only cannot, but SHOULD not send reissued checks (which you would have no authority to cash, anyway) or other estate correspondence.l Beneficiary payments for 401K or life insurance would go directly to whomever sis named on the beneficiary forms.
 

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