[Chrissy Scivicque]

Let's face it: emergencies happen. And when they happen at the workplace, it can be a real challenge. Maintaining an up-to-date Emergency Contact List for every employee is extremely important. Have everyone review their information on an annual basis and keep both paper and electronic copies.Though emergencies are never fun, having this information can make the process a lot easier to handle.

To download: Please double click on the document thumbnail and select “save file.” Once the document has been saved to your computer, you can open it with Adobe PDF Reader. If you do not have a PDF reader, you can download it for free here.

This PDF is a form so you can send it via email, ask everyone to fill it out and send it back electronically. You can then print the forms and store them in an easy to access place, and also save them to a file on your computer for safe keeping.

Also, be sure to read our article on Updating Emergency Contacts for more info on this important topic!

[Roxana]

This form is indeed very helpful.
Thank you very much and best regards.

Coman Roxana.

Originally Posted by Chrissy Scivicque

Let's face it: emergencies happen. And when they happen at the workplace, it can be a real challenge. Maintaining an up-to-date Emergency Contact List for every employee is extremely important. Have everyone review their information on an annual basis and keep both paper and electronic copies.Though emergencies are never fun, having this information can make the process a lot easier to handle.

This PDF is a form so you can send it via email, ask everyone to fill it out and send it back electronically. You can then print the forms and store them in an easy to access place, and also save them to a file on your computer for safe keeping.

Also, be sure to read our article on Updating Emergency Contacts for more info on this important topic!

[Mikeoo17]

This form is a waste of time. It doesn't look good, asks for too much information (ssn, DL number, passport number, place of birth etc) and doesn't ask about medical conditions or allergies.

[r2holtson]

I would recommend dropping the medical information section; it's probably covered under HIPAA and companies are not intitled to know a person's medical conditions, etc. If you're going to use this strictly for emergency contact info, then having the employee's name, address, phone number(s), and the person(s)who should be contacted in case of an emergency is all you need.

[Chrissy Scivicque]

Just to clarify because there is a little conflicting info in the comments above: this form does ask for medical conditions and allergies. In cases of emergencies, this information could be critical for saving a person's life.

As far as restrictions and whether or not a company is "entitled" to know medical information about an individual, I must admit that I'm not certain what the rules are here, but I've done a little research (here is a great site HIPAA Privacy Rule: Disclosures for Emergency Preparedness - A Decision Tool).

The main thing to remember is that this form is voluntary. An employee is under no obligation to disclose anything they don't want to. If someone suffers from a condition that could possibly cause a problem at the workplace, it may give them a sense of comfort to know that at least one representative at the office is aware of it. Information on a form such as this is private and should be shared confidentially with the appropriate HR representative(s) only. It shouldn't become public information. The information is only to be shared with health care providers in the case of emergencies. As far as I can tell, that is legitimate. Of course, please do your own research and share what you learn. I am not an expert by any means.

Additionally, this form is currently a PDF so it's not customizable. I will work on uploading a Word version so if you wish to remove or add any information you'll be able to do so in the future. Keep your eye out for that.

[Jodith]

Whenever information is voluntary, I generally try to state that on the form. Most people feel like, if the boss asks for something, they have to answer.

I highly discourage asking for medical information. You have a number of requirements in protecting medical information, but on top of that, you could possible open yourself to accusations of discrimination. If an employee is disciplined, they can claim that it is because of their medical condition, and the company will have trouble denying that they knew about the condition. It's better to keep this information on a strictly need to know basis.

If the employee has a serious condition that may require emergency treatment, then they should wear a medic alert pendent. Most HR information I've read uses not asking for medical information as a best practice.

[Chrissy Scivicque]

Jodith, thanks for sharing your thoughts! You brought up some excellent points.

[mistytingle1]

very helpful...thank you!

[esam.f]

This form is indeed very helpful.
Thank you very much and best regards.

[badgergirl]

I think it is a good idea for individuals to complete and keep at their desk/office incase of an emergency. If I was to have an allergic reaction, my husband could not get to me sooner than 30 minutes which could be the difference between sick and really sick. But having this form at my desk would let my co-workers know what the problem is and what needs to be done. Maybe HR doesn't need to ask for it but it is still good information to have on hand incase of an emergency.