Gen Z Woman Shares the Email Work Sent Her the Day After Her Mom Died

A woman has sparked conversation online after sharing an email exchange between her and her former employer when her mother died.

In a video with over a million views on TikTok, Lily Blackmore, who lives in the United Kingdom, posted screenshots of the email that notified her workplace of her mother’s death.

The email read: “Hi it’s Lily’s boyfriend Josh, last night (Tuesday) her mum passed away a little before midnight, Lily was due to go to work and visit a client with someone tomorrow, she isn’t going to be able to make tomorrow given the circumstances, hope you understand.”

The response from the employer was: “Thank you, sorry to ask will Lily be attending the live call this weekend?”

Blackmore was set to start working for the care company Nurseplus on February 15, 2022, the same night her mother passed away.

“As you can see, the response was horrible. My reaction to seeing that email was a realization of the world we live in, where everyone is fooled to believe that work is the most important thing, when in reality, we are numbers and we will be replaced the next week,” she told Newsweek.

In a statement, Nurseplus told Newsweek: “Nurseplus do not have a record of this incident other than the email exchange between the live-in carer and the Dover branch team. There has been no other communication of this incident since the bereavement almost 3 years ago.”

Mark Gidalla, Nurseplus managing director, told Newsweek: “We sincerely apologize for the upset this situation has caused. The well-being of our clients and care staff is always our absolute priority. Our live-in care service is designed to provide continuous, round-the-clock support to individuals who often have complex needs and rely on their carer for daily assistance. It is our responsibility to ensure that appropriate care arrangements are in place.”

The company added, “We have bereavement policies in place for our permanent staff members. We are currently reviewing our support structures for all staff, including agency staff, to ensure we are providing appropriate assistance during difficult times.”

When the video went viral, it sparked a host of reactions from viewers. Some didn’t think the email was a problem, like commenter Dan Thomas, who wrote: “This…doesn’t seem like an unreasonable question to me. As long as it is a question and not a demand.”

Others, like viewer Bethany, said: “The most human response would be to say, ‘I’m so sorry to hear this, take as long as you need and please tell Lily not to worry about work right now.’ – and then just sort out your admin yourself.”

“We need to have some kind of universal bereavement leave, I’m also sorry that this has happened to you and your mum,” TikToker AC said.

Blackmore said she hopes sharing her story will help others think about the role work plays in their lives.

“The purpose of my life now is to experience things and to enjoy my time and not to force myself into the box that is society,” she said. “I want to help others realize this and hopefully help people get the courage to leave a toxic workplace and start to enjoy and experience life instead of just exist.”