Ask the Expert

Have you ever been asked to provide information on your former employees? This is a common occurrence and can be complicated depending on what is being asked.  Curtis Rostad provides his insights to this important question below. Question: I had a firm call me asking for information on a former employee who had applied for a job with them. I didn’t know what I could tell them. I have been told only to confirm that they used to work for us and their dates of employment. What is the law? Curtis Rostad: There is no federal employment law restricting what you can say about a former employee. The advice to disclose only employment dates comes from (overly) cautious attorneys that fear you might be sued by the former employee for defamation over what you might say. But you are not […]

Preparation is key when it comes to your strategic business plan for the new year. We were recently asked what steps are needed to take right now to plan for a successful year. Chris Cruger provides his insights to this important question below. Question: What do I need to be doing in order to set my funeral home up for success in 2022? Chris Cruger: First, I would suggest to take a moment to be grateful. This has been a very long, hard past couple years. The profession has gained new levels of recognition in the media and society. The emergence of the profession as the “last responders” has propelled the profession to new heights. However, this recognition does not come without a price. Many are worn out, stressed and on their last nerve. As we look towards 2022, many […]

Selling your funeral home or cemetery business continues to be a one of the hottest topics with our readers and the profession. We were recently asked about the timeline for selling your business by the end of the year. Doug Gober provides his insights on this important question. Question: I am ready to retire and want to have my business sold by December 31,2021. Am I too late? What do I need to do to have this done by the end of the year? Doug Gober: The short answer is no. You are not too late. However, there are many qualification statements that need to be considered to make your transition happen. First, you must be prepared to focus on the task at hand. There are so many small elements of a transition; whether big or small, that can become […]

Buying and Selling continues to be a hot topic with our readers and the profession in general. We were recently asked about the selling process. Chris Cruger provides his insights on this topic. Question: With everything going on right now, should I be thinking about selling my business? Chris Cruger: When considering your options, you need to ask yourself if the time is right to sell? Should you continue to operate? Consider these four issues: Examine your motives for wanting to sell – Is the decision being driven by health reasons, divorce, death, cremation, etc.… – The reason will determine the urgency and timing. Tax Environment – Sellers are able to get a very attractive capital gains treatment right now. A business sold today will have an effective tax rate of approximately 20 percent. That rate could go as high […]

We were recently asked about what policies employers can put in place regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Stephanie Ramsey, Director of Business Analysis provides some insights on this topic. Question: Can we require employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine? Stephanie Ramsey: There are many people who are divided on whether to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.  The first question that employers must address is, “Can we require employees to get vaccinated?”  The answer to this question varies based on the business you are in generally but is quite simple for funeral businesses.  Yes, you can require that employees get vaccinated. The reality is that employers in the funeral industry have a strong justification for this requirement.  Their employees are at high risk due to the nature of their jobs.  What is meant by the term “high risk?”  Funeral employees are at greater […]