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Death of a Loved One

Here you’ll find Northrop Grumman benefits and resources to consider as you navigate this difficult time.

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Northrop Grumman partners with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant a tree in the Guatemalan Western Highlands rainforest in memory of a lost loved one. To learn more about the program, or submit a request to remember someone who passed, click here.

Coping with the loss of a loved one can be a very emotional experience. While painful wounds often heal with time, there are some immediate ways to cope with grief and adjust to your loss. Talking to someone can help you identify and accept your feelings, find comfort in friends and family and help begin to cope with the grieving process.

The NGCare Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides free confidential guidance and mental health support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including in-the-moment support. Through NGCare, you and your household members are eligible for eight free counseling sessions per issue each year. Examples of issues include, but are not limited to: marital, relationship or family counseling; stress, anxiety and depression; grief and loss; and job pressures or substance use.

Your call or online request will be answered by a licensed clinician who will listen to your concerns and if needed, quickly refer you to in-person or telehealth counseling or in the moment support. Call: 800-982-8161 TTY: 800-697-0353

Online: guidanceresources.com (WebID is NGCare) or if you're on the NGC network, you can use the Single Sign On link. App: GuidanceNow Web ID: NGCare

Northrop Grumman’s benefits allow you access to a legal advisor when you need it.

  • Through NGCare’s ComPsych you can receive a personalized, expert legal and/or financial consultation at no cost for 30-minutes per topic, per year.

    • Call: 800.982.8161 TTY: 800.697.0353 or log-on to the website (requires creating a username/password and using the Web ID: NGCare)

  • If you are enrolled, MetLife’s Group Legal Plan gives you access to the expert guidance and tools you need to handle the broad range of personal legal needs you might face throughout your life.

Bereavement Leave is offered in the event of a death in your family. You receive up to: 

  • Three (3) working days off with pay

    • You may take the days on or after the date of death.

    • The days do not have to be consecutive.   

  • An additional two (2) days off with pay, at management discretion, for special circumstances; managers should discuss organization business practices with their HR Business Partner (HRBP)

Bereavement leave must be used within one (1) year of receiving notice of the qualifying event. 

For additional information, details on policy, and specifics on leave for the states of California and Illinois please review the Bereavement Leave article (must be logged into the NG Network).

For additional PTO information and requesting PTO donations for bereavement please review the Paid Time Off (PTO) Advances, Donations, and Cash-outs article (must be logged into the NG Network).

Northrop Grumman wants to ensure you feel supported and have someone available to answer all your questions. Our new healthcare navigation service, powered , provides personalized guidance at no additional cost.   

Quantum Health is a dedicated team of nurses, claims specialists, and benefits experts who exclusively support Northrop Grumman employees and their families. Trained on our company culture, health plans and benefits, Care Coordinators can help explain the steps you need to take and benefits available to you.

To talk to a live person call the Northrop Grumman Benefits Center at 800-894-4194 and press 1.

You can also message or chat with a Care Coordinator by logging in or creating an account Quantum Health.

All benefits-eligible U.S. employees have access to Quantum Health, even if you’re not enrolled in a Northrop Grumman medical plan. Spouses and domestic partners enrolled in a Northrop Grumman medical plan can also access this service. Navigation services differ based on your medical plan.

If your loved one was covered under any of your benefits or if you were covered under their benefits, you update your elections or start coverage for yourself and your dependents by reporting a Life Event on NetBenefits

You have 31 days from the date of their passing make these changes. Otherwise you will need to wait until annual enrollment to make updates.

If your loved one was listed as a beneficiary, you will need to log-in to NetBenefits to make updates.

A beneficiary is the person, trust, or other legal entity named by the participant to receive any benefit provided under the plan upon the participant's death. If you don't name a beneficiary, benefits will be paid out as specified under the terms of your plan. If you don’t have any beneficiaries listed, log-in to NetBenefits to add one.

If your loved one was covered under your Optional Life Insurance Plan at Northrop Grumman, you will need to contact MetLife to file a claim (Member Services 800-438-6388).

If you are not sure where to get started, you can also call the Northrop Grumman Benefits Center 800-894-4194, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. ET. (most services)

We are so sorry for your loss and are here to help you in any way we can. The Northrop Grumman Benefits Center is available to assist you and can walk you through what benefits are available to you.  800-894-4194, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. ET.

Northrop Grumman’s Life Insurance Policy is through MetLife. You will need to contact them to file a claim (Member Services 800-438-6388).

If you are a MetLife beneficiary (all Northrop Grumman life insurance is provided by MetLife), Empathy, a bereavement service and platform, offers personalized guidance and provides real-time live support to help deal with the challenges of loss. 

Our partners at Fidelity offer great articles and resources on managing illness and injury from all fronts: financially and legally, mentally, resourcefully, and logically.  Log-in first on NetBenefits.

If you are a MetLife beneficiary (reminder all Northrop Grumman life insurance is provided by MetLife), Empathy, a bereavement service and platform, offers personalized guidance and provides real-time live support to help deal with the challenges of loss.