I was touched to see how Marathon Coach ensured its laid off employees have something to be thankful for this holiday season.

The company announced Monday it was laying off 150 workers. That can be an extremely stressful situation anytime, but even more so around the holidays. But Marathon Coach proved itself to be a first-class operation in the way in which the staff was laid off.

According to a local television station, Marathon Coach President Steve Schoellhorn ensured that the temporarily laid off employees would retain their health benefits through the end of the year. The company also announced the workers would receive their holiday pay when they return to work in January, plus they would receive a full bag of groceries this week including an entire turkey.

Granted, when a worker is used to receiving a paycheck, getting a turkey is not the best substitute. But, when family traditions have children and their parents gathering around a table to enjoy a meal, it's nice to have something traditional to eat. And as cold and flu season descend upon the northern half of America, knowing that they can still get medical attention should bring some relief to the struggling families.

I am sure December will be a difficult time for the 150 employees, but I applaud Marathon Coach for doing what it can for its employees even when the firm must make difficult decisions to ensure the company's survival.