ADVISORY/Grief Index Cited in Today's WSJ Available to Journalists.

News Editors

ADVISORY...

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2002

The hidden cost of Grief to U.S. businesses runs more than $75 billion annually, according to a new reported cited in today's Wall Street Journal. Sources of Grief include death, marriage and family problems, financial loss and pet loss.

The Grief Index report, published by the nonprofit Grief Recovery Institute (www.grief.net), is available in PDF format to all accredited journalists.

The WSJ noted that the report "is significant because of its attempt to use as many quantitative measures as possible." In addition, GRI counselors interviewed more than 25,000 grieving people, "and almost all said their job performance was affected," according to the Journal.

To receive a PDF copy of the 2003 Grief Index, journalists should email their name, news affiliation, title and phone number (in case of transmission error) to [e-mail]. The report's official name is: The 2003 Grief Index: The Hidden Annual Costs of Grief in America's Workplace.

Journalists wishing to speak with the report's main authors, Russell P. Friedman and John W. James, can schedule interviews by contacting Peg Booth, Booth Media Group, 760/929-1111 or by email at [e-mail].

The Grief Recovery Institute is a nonprofit educational foundation based in Sherman Oaks, CA. Messrs. Friedman and James are the authors of The Grief Recovery Handbook and When Children Grieve.