Blue Bear Employee Relief Program

The Blue Bear Employee Relief Fund is designed to provide short-term assistance to employees experiencing severe financial need due to unexpected and unavoidable emergencies.You must be an HCSC employee for a minimum of three months in order to be eligible to apply. Eligible applicants may receive a maximum of one grant per category, per calendar year. If you have other resources to meet your needs, you are likely not eligible for this crisis program.

The Blue Bear 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 HCSC.

Employee Relief Program Guidelines

Eligible to Apply: HCSC employees are eligible to apply for assistance after three months of employment by HCSC. Contractors, and others not employed full-time by HCSC cannot apply.

In the event of an unexpected and unavoidable emergency that causes a severe financial hardship, HCSC 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 $10,000
  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 $1,000
  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 $500
  For employees who have encountered financial hardships due to medical emergencies in the household (injury, hospitalization, loss of income during medical emergency, etc.).
• Personal Emergency (theft, partner laid off, acts of violence) – Amount of Grant: Up to $500
  For employees who have encountered financial hardships for unexpected, unavoidable reasons beyond their control (spouse’s layoff, unexpected loss of income, non-routine vehicle or home repair that restricts ability of applicant to care for self and household, 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 an HCSC employee for a minimum of three months in order to be eligible to apply. Eligible applicants may receive a maximum of one grant per category, per calendar year. Referral to budgeting and financial counseling resources may be required before subsequent requests are reviewed.

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).