Code of Ethics for Funeral Directors
To provide the best quality customer service, funeral directors have a code of ethics set forth by the NFDA (National Funeral Directors Association). NFDA members strictly enforce the ethics code, and non-NFDA members use the code as a guideline.
Ethics codes ensure moral practices among funeral directors, fair prices, timely services, dignified personal services and confidentiality.
Service to Families
Funeral directors are to serve each family in a manner that is sensitive, professional and caring. They must respect client wishes, act fairly and respect those with lower incomes.
While funeral directors may reserve the right to refuse service, this refusal cannot have a basis in a person’s religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
Directors must follow all state and federal laws when it comes to the prearrangement, pre-financing or prepayment of good and/or services. They must always tell clients about secondhand merchandise before the client purchases it.
Care of the Departed
Funeral directors must always treat a deceased person with respect and dignity. The director is to ensure the conscientious care of a deceased’s transportation and preparation. Only the family of the deceased and funeral home staff may be present during the preparation of the departed’s remains.
The director must ensure the proper covering of deceased in the preparation room. Directors must hold or dispose of remains in the manner prearranged by a decedent’s family.
Public Obligations
Funeral directors must offer the public services in an honest, professional and fair manner that is not fraudulent or deceptive.
Directors have the responsibility to ensure advertisements are not false or misleading. They also cannot use a third party to acquire business or the securing of human remains for services.
The director must not use drugs or alcohol in a manner that will prohibit him from carrying out the duties of a funeral director.
Government Obligations
Funeral directors must comply with all state and federal laws and regulations set forth by the government so consumers and public health are not negatively impacted. Directors and their staff must always possess the appropriate licenses and permits.
A director must never print false statements on death certificates, records and reports, as this is unlawful.
Complaint Process
If a consumer cannot rectify a situation concerning a funeral director’s professional practices, the consumer can call the funeral directors association with which the service provider associates.
The association’s customer service agent can guide the consumer through the complaint process, which may require paperwork to be filled out or a written letter of concern or dissatisfaction.
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