On Jan. 15, 2009, U.S. Airways flight 1549 struck a flock of birds over the skies of New York City and lost engine power. The pilots made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in front of midtown Manhattan, and saved all 155 passengers on board. Dubbed the “Miracle on the Hudson,” the averted disaster made headlines for weeks across the U.S., and inspired one company to create a unique employee benefit: an emergency task force specifically for employees.
Several Bank of America workers were aboard that flight, and the business created an impromptu support team to assist them, supplying clean clothes, hotel rooms, and services to reconnect with their families after the crash. But what started off as a sudden emergency effort sparked the idea of creating a full-fledged program. In 2014, Bank of America established its Life Event Services (LES) team to aid workers with significant life events.
