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| 4 minute read

Supporting Mobility Through the Wildfires in LA

Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the Palisades, Eaton, Lidia, Sunset, and Hurst Fires in Los Angeles. This is an incredibly challenging time for many, and we extend our deepest sympathies to those impacted. During emergencies like these, the role of global mobility teams is pivotal in ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of your employees and their families.

Natural disasters such as wildfires underscore the importance of duty of care in global mobility programs. Duty of care is a legal obligation, but it’s also a moral commitment to the people who power your organization. Your team is a big part of the critical support that your employees need before, during, and after emergencies.

Here is a map from the New York Times for tracking the fires:

So what can your mobility program do to help?

1. Prioritize Communication and Safety

A robust communication plan is the backbone of a good disaster response. Global mobility teams should establish clear channels to check in with employees in affected areas, ensure their immediate safety, and provide timely updates.

For example:

  • Emergency Notifications: Use tools like the Watch Duty App for real-time alerts and evacuation updates.
  • Centralized Support Line: Employees can access resources and assistance through services like 211 LA or specialized corporate helplines.

HR leaders and mobility teams must also collaborate to create and simulate emergency response plans—such as "tabletop exercises"—to ensure everyone understands their roles and actions during a disaster.

2. Consider Providing Housing and Relocation Assistance

Displacement is a harsh reality for many during disasters. The good news is that your team has the resources to help. That could mean using your partnerships with local housing providers to secure temporary accommodations. Resources like Airbnb.org also offer free housing for displaced individuals. If you work with an Relocation Management Company (RMC) like Plus, your RMC partner will also be able to recommend and manage emergency housing partners.

📍 For those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires, please feel free to contact contact@questrelocation.com for assistance with furnished housing.

For employees on assignment, be flexible. Proactively supporting temporary relocation needs and offering flexibility in temporary assignments can alleviate significant stress for affected employees.

Understand too that even for those not in the fire area, but residing in Los Angeles, the fires could certainly impact services planned for this week and near future, Additionally, partners that support that are in the area may have significant challenges to normal timeframes for responding and things like reporting could be delayed. 

3. Address Mental and Emotional Well-Being

Disasters take a toll on mental health. Employee assistance programs (EAPs) should be promoted to provide counseling and emotional support during recovery. Mobility teams can also facilitate communication between your relocating employees, allowing them to share their experiences and feel supported.

Key reminders:

  • Encourage employees to focus on what they can control and take recovery step by step.
  • Highlight the availability of financial assistance programs for those facing major losses.

4. Equip Employees with Practical Resources

Practical guidance can help employees navigate the immediate aftermath of disasters. HR and Global Mobility teams can assist by:

  • Educating employees about their rights and insurance policies to handle property damage or disputes effectively.
  • Warning about potential scams, including price gouging or contractor fraud.
  • Sharing local resources such as California Fire Updates for real-time news.

Proactively anticipating questions and providing solutions helps employees feel cared for, especially if they're being directly affected. 

5. Foster Community and Connection

Emergencies always highlight the importance of coming together as a community. Your mobility team can encourage employees to support each other and engage in collective recovery efforts. That could look like a coordinated donation drive, volunteer opportunities, or company-sponsored relief programs for areas that were hit the hardest.

Looking Ahead and Building Resilience

The Los Angeles wildfires remind us that natural disasters are an inevitable part of life (and relocation). However, with comprehensive disaster planning, a strong sense of duty of care, and unwavering support, your program will be able to quickly respond to your employees and make sure their needs are met. 

Also, if you have talent in the Los Angeles area, you might want to take a quick look at some of the resources listed below: 

Additionally, the areas below marked in orange are evacuation zones and yellow denotes an evacuation warning.:

Visit https://protect.genasys.com/search to see current evacuation zones. 

We at Plus hope that all of your employees continue to remain safe despite the state of emergency. Our teams have reached out and made ourselves available to our partners and their employees in Los Angeles. We are working to ensure all recent transferees to this area are safe and their concerns are addressed, as well as to offer support if they are in or near a fire-impacted area. We stand with you and are here to help. 

Natural disasters, from hurricanes to tornadoes to mudslides and wildfires, are part of workers’ lives, and HR leaders play a big part in helping employees prepare for and recover from these disasters. - Advertisement - But what should HR leaders do as disasters—like the Los Angeles wildfires forcing tens of thousands to flee the area—either loom or have occurred?

Tags

duty of care, wildfires, los angeles, emergency, support, resources