Grief Counseling Resources

Help for You When You Need it Most
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Navigating the Loss of a Loved One

At Michaels, you are our number one priority and we are here to help when you need it most. This page provides an overview of the grief counseling resources and services available to full-time Team Members and family members navigating the loss of a loved one.

Filing Claims After a Loss

If you and/or members of your family are experiencing the loss of a loved one, please reach out to a Benefits Partner for assistance in getting a life insurance claim processed with Reliance Matrix.

To begin this process, open a Knowledge Zone ticket with any questions regarding your life claim and a Benefits Partner will contact you about your claim and next steps.

Guidance for Filing Claims with Reliance Matrix

How-To Guides

Important Note About Claims for Kaiser Members

Team Members who are enrolled in a Kaiser medical plan must complete an authorization release form in order to file a claim with Reliance Matrix.

  1. Reliance Matrix will provide you with the authorization release form to sign and return.
  2. This form is required in order for Reliance Matrix to obtain the required medical certification from your physician.
  3. Failure to provide the signed authorization release form to Reliance Matrix will result in your claim being denied.

Open the Knowledge Zone

Life & AD&D Insurance

All full-time Team Members, regardless of whether they enroll in a medical or dental plan, will receive Basic Life Insurance at no cost to them. Additionally, Michaels offers Team Members with the opportunity to enroll in Optional Life and Optional Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance. Please reach out to a Benefits Partner by opening a Knowledge Zone ticket for more information regarding these benefits for you and your spouse or domestic partner.

  • Employee Life: $25,000
  • Employee AD&D: $25,000
  • Employee Spouse/Domestic Partner: $2,000
  • Employee Child: $1,000

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Updating Your Benefits After Loss

If you experience a qualifying life event such as the loss of a loved one, you will have 30 days following the date of the life event to make changes to your benefit elections, and this change in status must be consistent with the life event.

You will first need to update your dependents in Workday before completing the qualifying life event.

Some documentation may be required with your request: an acceptable form of documentation would be a death certificate that details the date of passing of a loved one.

Changing Your Beneficiaries

Your beneficiaries are managed in Workday. To update your beneficiaries, follow the steps below.

  1. Log in to Workday.
  2. In the top left-hand corner, select Menu > Benefits. Then, select Pay > Benefits > Change Benefits.
  3. This will allow you to launch the “Assign Beneficiaries” task where you can remove or add beneficiaries to your current elections.

Requesting Leave (LOA)

We understand that grief can be difficult for you and your family, and you may require more time away from work to dedicate to your loved ones following a loss.

Consider requesting a Leave of Absence (LOA) if you plan to be away from work for longer than a week. You can request leave if you’re going to be absent from work for more than five (5) consecutive working days due to a personal, medical, or other reason.

Read the Michaels Leave of Absence (LOA) Guide and visit the LOA page for more detailed information about requesting leave. To initiate a request, call Reliance Matrix at 1-888-288-1354.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free, confidential resource available for you and your family – even if you’re not enrolled in any Michaels benefit plans.

The EAP includes counseling services for all Michaels Team Members:

  • Full-time Team Members are eligible to receive up to three (3) face-to-face or tele-video counseling sessions per issue at no charge.
  • Part-time Team Members are not eligible for face-to-face counseling sessions but are eligible to receive confidential counseling by phone at any time.

There are three ways for you to find more information and access EAP resources:

Supportiv

Supportiv is an online tool that lets you talk through any mental health, emotional, or social struggles in small group chats with people who can relate. Discussions are anonymous and are guided and safeguarded in real time by professional facilitators. Supportiv is anonymous and available 24/7.

Visit the Supportiv page for program information, resources, and on-demand webinars.

Michaels CARES

Michaels CARES is a 501(c)(3) charity that helps Michaels Team Members, including by providing financial assistance in the event of the death of a Team Member or eligible family member(s).

To request assistance, make sure you meet the requirements below and then complete the application.

Here’s a quick checklist to follow when you apply:

  • Application must be completed in its entirety.
  • Sponsor must sign the application (sponsors are a critical part of our process).
  • Supporting documents are attached – more is better.

Have questions? Read the Michaels CARES FAQs and visit the Michaels CARES page for more information regarding this benefit.

PerkSpot Wellness

PerkSpot Wellness offers various discounts on emotional wellness services that support your mental health, offering deals on therapy, meditation, yoga, and more. Perkspot partners with reputable online counseling services like BetterHelp and Talkspace.

Visit michaels.perkspot.com to access these resources and find additional information about this benefit in the PerkSpot section of the Benefit Extras & Discounts page.

COBRA

Death is a qualifying life event. If you or your spouse/domestic partner are covered on Michaels medical, dental, vision, and/or flexible spending account (FSA), you will receive a COBRA notice that allows your continued participation in a Michaels medical program for up to 18 months.

You will receive the COBRA notice in the mail that details your coverage options from Taben, our COBRA administrator.

For more information, please reach out to the Taben Group at 800-675-7341.

If you would like an electronic copy of the CORBA notice, please reach out to Team Member Services by opening a Knowledge Zone ticket.