Posted By: By Michele Peden on 2005-10-01

NASHVILLE, TN–Spheris, a global provider of medical transcription services and technology, is reaching out to help its more than 100 employees who were affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Spheris employs more than 5,000 professional MTs, most of whom work from their homes, and had more than 170 employees located in the devastated gulf states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

 “It took some time, but I am happy to say we have been able to locate all of our employees,” said Spheris CEO and President Steven E. Simpson. “Through the efforts of our employee relations specialists, we were able to determine that all of our colleagues escaped serious physical harm. Nevertheless, 21 Spheris employees have potentially lost their homes and all their possessions; 15 are in their homes, but are not able to work because of lost utilities; and several employees have relocated and been able to resume work.” According to Simpson, Spheris is currently assisting with additional relocation efforts of other employees unable to return to their homes.

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, as the world began realizing the devastation facing millions of Americans, Spheris established a Spheris Employee Relief Effort as a means to provide corporate-sponsored assistance to Spheris employees who experienced a significant hardship directly caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Spheris started the fund with the initial contribution and vowed to match a large percentage of Spheris employee contributions. In the days that followed, Spheris saw overwhelming generosity from its employees wanting to help, and in response set up an automated process for Spheris employees to donate their unused Paid Time Off (PTO) and cash contributions through payroll deduction on the Spheris corporate intranet.

In addition to using the company intranet, Spheris is sending regular e-mail updates to all its employees and an e-mail address (Naturaldisasterloop@spheris.com) has been established to enhance the company’s ability to communicate and respond to its employees’ needs.

To date, Spheris employees have personally donated more than $77,000 in cash and $112,000 in donated hours of PTO for their colleagues in need. And, those donations are already helping numerous Spheris employees.

Peggy Stolf, who lives in St. Bernard Parish outside of New Orleans, is a Spheris MT supervisor who is receiving assistance from her employer. “Words cannot express the gratitude my family has for Spheris,” said Stolf. “Through this entire disaster, Spheris became my family's rock that we could cling to, to help us through.”

The Stolf family lost its house, all of its possessions and its beloved dog to the devastating flood waters and is now living with family in Augusta, GA. While it would be easy to focus on what she lost, Stolf chooses to focus on what she gained. “Though we did lose a lot, we did gain a renewed faith in humanity and compassion,” said Stolf. “And, I cannot even find the right words to express the kindness and care that Spheris has shown toward me and my family.”

• Spheris Helps Employees Displaced by Katrina - By Michele Peden (Views: 375, 2005-10-01)