Florida employees feel effects of Tropical Storm Fay

Dominic Young and many of his Rockwell Collins colleagues in Melbourne, Fla., were caught somewhat by surprise in mid-August when Tropical Storm Fay made landfall on the state's east coast, stalling out over Brevard County.

An assembler at our production facility in Melbourne, Young's home received substantial damage following historic levels of rain and winds of up to 65 miles per hour. The storm also flooded roads, caused power outages, and spawned several tornadoes as it moved across the state.

According to Robbi Horne, manager of Human Resources at Rockwell Collins in Melbourne, Young was one of about 15 to 20 employees whose homes sustained damage.

"The slow moving storm and the subsequent flooding took us all by surprise," admitted Horne. "It rained for two-and-a-half days straight."

Recognizing the need to help, our company immediately offered early Incentive Pay Plan (IPP) payouts and paid time off to those who were significantly affected.

Rockwell Collins also made a $10,000 contribution to the United Way to assist with flood recovery efforts, and employees like Young are extremely thankful for the support of his company and his colleagues.

"I definitely took advantage of our company's assistance," said Young, who also received some donated furniture from his co-workers. "It made me feel happy to know that both my company and the people I work with really care."