When it comes to navigating the sensitive waters of funeral arrangements, your funeral home staff plays a crucial role in providing support to grieving families.

Stay up-to-date on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Funeral Rule to equip your staff with everything they need to know to serve with both compassion and adherence to the law.

What Is The Funeral Rule?

The Funeral Rule, enacted by the FTC in 1984, is a set of regulations that govern the funeral industry and safeguard consumers from deceptive sales practices. The Funeral Rule’s primary goal is to ensure that grieving families can make informed decisions without facing undue pressure or exploitation.

Transparency is Key With Your GPL

One of the key points of the Funeral Rule is the requirement for funeral homes to provide customers with a General Price List (GPL). Your staff should be well-versed in explaining the GPL, as it itemizes the cost of funeral goods and services offered by the funeral home. This helps families compare prices and make informed choices about services.

Focus on Specific Options, Not Just Packages

The Funeral Rule allows families to create a meaningful and personalized funeral experience. Your staff should emphasize to families that they have the right to select only the goods and services they desire, without being forced into expensive package deals. Offer support in creating a unique and fitting farewell for their loved ones, but also be transparent in letting families know that they can select individual items from the ‘menu’ instead of forcing them into the ‘combo’.

Help Families Make Informed Decisions

Casket selection can be a difficult decision for families. Your staff must inform them that they have the right to purchase a casket from an outside vendor without any additional charges or penalties. As you know, every family is different – respect their choices and ensure that you provide a range of options to suit various preferences and budgets.

In the context of embalming, your staff should be knowledgeable about state-specific regulations. For example, in California and Idaho, regulations require bodies to either be embalmed or refrigerated if final disposition (or burial) doesn’t occur in the first 24 hours.

The Funeral Rule mandates that embalming cannot be required if the family chooses not to have a viewing or public service. Empower your staff to communicate these requirements with sensitivity and understanding.

Build a Digital GPL to Display on Your Website

Funeral homes and crematories that switch to Gather’s platform for case management and website design enjoy the ability to create a beautiful digital showroom to display on your fully integrated, Gather-built website, where you can also:

• Publish obituaries in one click
• Allow families to pay for services directly on your site using a payment center
• Strengthen your marketing presence with obituary email subscriptions

If you’re in the market to make a switch to new funeral home software, schedule your free demo of Gather today to see how much of a game-changer the platform will be for you and your team.