DFA Cares Employee Relief Fund

The DFA Cares Employee Relief Fund is designed to provide short-term assistance to employees experiencing severe financial need due to home catastrophes or natural disasters. You must be a permanent full-time or permanent part-time DFA employee for a minimum of 90 days in order to be eligible to apply. Eligible applicants may receive a maximum of two grants, per 12 months. If you have other resources to meet your needs, you are likely not eligible for this crisis program.

The DFA Cares Employee Relief Fund is administered by the Tulsa Community Foundation, an organization specializing in assisting corporations in creating emergency assistance and disaster relief funds for employees. Applications are confidential and identifying details are never shared with DFA Cares.

Employee Relief Program Guidelines

Eligible to Apply: Full-time or permanent part-time DFA employees are eligible to apply for assistance after 90 days of employment.

In the event of an unexpected and unavoidable emergency that causes a severe financial hardship, DFA employees may apply for assistance within the following categories and qualifications (Please remember that not all emergencies will warrant the maximum assistance):

• Home Catastrophe/Natural Disaster – Amount of Grant: Up to $2,000
  Assistance after a natural or localized disaster has destroyed the employee’s personal residence, rendered it unlivable or it is otherwise in need of costly repairs, in excess of insurance, after the disaster (hurricane, fire, flood, tornado, mudslide, etc.).
• Funeral or Emergency Travel for Immediate Family – Amount of Grant: Up to $2,000
  Assistance for those who have incurred the loss of an immediate family member*, if the employee is financially responsible for funeral arrangements and no other resources exist. For employees who must travel to visit or care for a terminally ill immediate family member or escort a critically ill immediate family member to an out-of-state medical facility.
• Medical Emergency (emergency hospitalization, injury, etc.) – Amount of Grant: Up to $2,000
  For employees who have encountered financial hardships due to medical emergencies (injury, hospitalization, loss of income during medical emergency, etc.).

Documentation will be requested from each applicant.
Additional information and examples are available here. 

*Immediate Family Defined: Spouse; brother / sister; children; step-children; grandchildren; parents; step-parents; grandparents; mother / father-in-law; son / daughter-in-law; domestic partner (as defined for health benefits only).

Note: To comply with IRS conditions, program guidelines restrict assistance to employees experiencing severe financial need due to specific unexpected, unavoidable emergencies which can be documented. While all emergencies and financial hardships are unfortunate, incidents outside of program guidelines cannot be approved.

Employees should use available resources such as medical/life insurance, PTO, short/long term disability, personal savings, assistance from family members, etc. before applying for assistance.  If ineligible, TCF can refer applicants to other resources in their community.

Applicants must be a full-time or permanent part-time employee for a minimum of 90 days in order to be eligible to apply. Eligible applicants may receive a maximum of two grants per 12 months. 

Upon approval, grant recipients are typically mailed a check made payable to the vendor requesting payment (i.e. landlord, utility company, contractor, etc.). We understand that each situation is unique so please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.  After multiple applications to the program, referral to a budgeting and financial counselor will be provided to connect applicants with additional resources.

Situations that will NOT be Considered: Elective bills; bills related to routine vehicle repairs; child support payments by applicant; expenses/bills resulting from divorce or separation; attorney fees; medical expenses not related to medical emergencies; situations related to extended family members; or garnishments of an employee’s paycheck due to past debt. TCF must comply with IRS regulations; further guidelines may apply. Additional information is available here.

*Immediate Family Defined: Spouse; brother / sister; children; step-children; grandchildren; parents;step-parents; grandparents; mother / father-in-law; son / daughter-in-law; domestic partner (as defined for health benefits only).