Policy
Requests for funds will be directed to the Employee Emergency Fund (EEF) Chairperson and can be initiated by the employee in need, a supervisor or a concerned peer who may be aware of the crisis situation. Request for funds will be reviewed by the Employee Emergency Fund Committee made up of the following individuals: Corvallis Clinic Human Resources Representative who serves as chair, Foundation Administrator, Foundation Board Member, and a Corvallis Clinic staff person.
To provide recognition and appropriate documentation, all philanthropic gifts will be processed by the Foundation office.
Procedure
Basic Procedure
- Employee donations are tax-deductible and may be made by payroll deduction or cash contribution.
- Funds will be distributed according to the committee decision and casual employees are not eligible to receive funds through the EEF. The majority decision of three committee members will determine the Fund distribution.
- EEF money is a grant, not a loan.
- Committee members will conduct a brief assessment of the crisis situation at the time of the application for funds.
- Whenever possible, funds will be distributed from the Foundation office directly to the source of an employee’s need.
- An annual report will be generated to the Foundations’ board of trustees. This report will include the funds received and funds disbursed for this account.
Use of Funds
The priority of the fund is to assist employees who are experiencing unexpected financial need, the cause of which is beyond the employee’s control and which could not have been addressed through prudent financial planning. Unexpected financial needs are defined as basic human needs which may include but are not limited to unexpected medical expenses, basic transportation, housing, utilities, or funeral expenses. The fund will not be used for non-emergent financial needs, such as elective medical procedures, clothing, food, school tuition, and entertainment. expenses or to pay attorney fees. The fund will not be used for long-term financial needs.
Application Procedure
An EEF application may be obtained from the Human Resources office or the Foundation office. The employee must have successfully completed his/her probationary period, and be an employee in good standing to be eligible for Emergency Funds. Employees may apply for funds only once every 24 months. If an employee resigns within six months of receipt of EEF, he/she agrees to pay back the monies to the fund.
The application should be returned to the Human Resources office. The EEF Committee Chairperson will review the application, talk to the employee if more information is needed, and present the situation at the next scheduled committee meeting. EEF meetings are held as needed.
The EEF Committee will make a decision about the help that can be given and the chairperson will inform the employee in need. All decisions made by the committee are final. Specific arrangements will be made at that time regarding sending the money to the source of need.
Disbursement of Funds
There is a form developed specifically for the purpose of disbursing funds from the Foundation. This form will be filled out by the EEF Committee Chairperson. It requires the person’s name, address, a description of the invoice, and the amount being requested. It is signed by the chairperson and taken to the representative in the Foundation office. The Foundation Administrator prepares the check and sends it to the appropriate source.
Payroll Deduction Procedure
Any employee can make a donation to the EEF. A payroll deduction request form has been developed for this purpose and is available from Human Resources, the Foundation, or Accounting.
After completing the form and indicating the amount to deduct and the begin/end dates, the form should be returned to the chairperson who will deliver it to the Foundation office for processing.