Job description Assistant Funeral Director in Newfoundland and Labrador

Find out what work is like for an assistant funeral director in Canada. This work description is applicable to all Social and community service workers (NOC 62201).

Funeral directors and embalmers

Description

Funeral directors coordinate and arrange all aspects of funeral services. Embalmers prepare the remains of deceased persons for public visitation and burial. Funeral directors and embalmers are employed by funeral homes.

Work week duration

Funeral directors and embalmers usually work between 35 to 40 hours per week.
Between 35 to 40 hours

Job duties

Here are some of the main activities and tasks that Funeral directors and embalmers have to perform, and some of the physical demands they involve:

  • Funeral directors
  • Consult with the family of the deceased regarding the nature of the funeral service, the disposition of the remains and funeral costs
  • Transfer, or arrange for the transfer of, the remains from the place of death to the funeral home
  • Inform survivors of benefits for which they may be eligible
  • Issue death notices to newspapers
  • Oversee the preparation of the remains, plan and schedule funeral services, coordinate burials and cremations and complete legal documents
  • Discuss and negotiate prearranged funerals with clients
  • Manage funeral home operations including hiring and directing staff, maintaining financial records, preparing accounts and ordering merchandise
  • Supervise embalmers, funeral home attendants and other funeral home staff
  • May perform same duties as embalmers.
  • Embalmers
  • Preserve, sanitize and prepare human remains for funeral services
  • Perform cosmetic and restorative work on human remains
  • Supervise funeral home attendants and other funeral home staff.

Physical demands Help - Physical Demands

  • Sitting

Physical demands

Physical demands are the physical activities that the job requires the worker to do. Physical demands are selected according to the likeliness that workers will have to perform them for at least half of the time they spend at work.

Workplaces and employers

Here are the typical workplaces where Funeral directors and embalmers are employed and some of their main characteristics:

  • Social service agencies
  • Shelters
  • Group homes
  • Government agencies
  • Correctional facilities
  • Substance abuse centres
  • Mental health agencies
  • Community organizations and establishments
  • School boards

Work environment Help - Physical Work Environment

  • Indoors, environmentally controlled
  • Sound and noise

Physical proximity from others Help - Physical proximity from others

  • Close (at arm’s length)

Work environment

The work environment refers to the physical setting in which people work. The characteristics and conditions of the work environment are selected according to the likeliness that workers will be exposed to them at least once a week.

Physical proximity from others

Physical proximity from others refers to the physical distance between individuals in the workplace. The likeliness that the job requires to perform tasks while being physically close to other people is rated on a scale with 3 levels: "Somewhat close", "Close" and "Very close".

Related job titles

Here are some other related job titles that are found in the same occupational category (NOC 62201), and a list of similar occupations:

  • apprentice embalmer
  • embalmer
  • funeral director
  • mortician

Similar occupations Help - Similar occupations

Similar occupations

This section lists other occupations that are part of the same broad occupational category as Funeral directors and embalmers in the National Occupational Classification (NOC). These occupations involve similar core qualifications but involve different responsibilities. To see more similar occupations, use the Job Transition Tool.

Sources Occupational and Skills Information System & National Occupational Classification

Labour Market Information Survey
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