I have been at my new job for 5 weeks, on Sunday a terrible thing happened, a co-worker lost is 4mo old child. He just sent out an e-mail today (2:55 cst) about funeral arrangements … 9am tomorrow. I live 3hrs away and I am debating if I should go or not.
I work from home and my co-worker is at the corporate office. I haven’t seen him in 4 weeks, since I moved out of the corporate office to home and my only conversations with him have been through e-mail or phone.
Have you actually only known the guy 5 weeks (with 4 of those out of the office) or did you switch jobs within the company and know him better than that?
I wouldn’t go to a co-worker’s funeral unless it was someone I’d spend time with outside of work.
An e-mail the day before sounds like an open invitation to anyone who would like to attend.
Have you met the co-workers’ wife? Do you know them outside of the company?
I would think that unless you have some closer connection than what you described, the e-mail should be considered as a note not to offend anyone whose desire to attend the funeral was not known, and circumstances and time prevented a more direct invitation and communication.
Send a card, and follow up later in person when an appropriate situation occurs.
I have only really “seen” him for a week while I was getting trained in the office. I came from a different company. I talk to him once a day via e-mail or phone
He isn’t married, the kid was with a girlfriend. The bad part is, I didn’t even know he had a kid until my boss told us it passed away
My wife is debating the same thing. A co-worker just lost her dad. My wife never knew the dad. She’s going to the wake, but is still unsure about the funeral.
I wouldn’t go. Contribute flowers or whatever memorial fund is set up for the child, but I wouldn’t go. You still need to show support for your coworker’s loss, though.