GRANT APPLICATION FAQs

 

What is the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund?

It was created to help employees who are facing financial hardship immediately after a natural disaster or an unforeseen personal hardship.  The Romulus Employee Assistance Fund relies primarily on individual donations from employees and support from Romulus to fund this program.  Every contribution helps and when combined with the donations of others, can provide a tax-free grant to help a fellow employee in need when they are facing the unexpected.

 

Who can apply for assistance from the fund?

Applicants must be:

• employed by Romulus or its affiliates on the date of the application; and

• on approved medical leave or approved leave of absence for less than one year.

 

How large of a grant can I apply for?

The maximum amount available for each incident is $5,000 and the minimum amount that can be requested is $500

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What are the criteria to qualify for a grant?

While there are many factors which determine if a grant can be made, the review process is designed with the goal to award every grant when possible. To meet regulations, the objective review process is complex so the simplest first step is to determine if your situation meets the most basic criteria by answering the follow questions:

1. Were you impacted by a “qualifying event” listed on the below chart?

2. Would your application meet the following general criteria?

   • Are you applying within 180 days after the Event?

   • Application submissions are limited to one submission every 12 months.

   • If an application is not approved, you must wait 6 months before reapplying.

   • Did the qualifying event occur after you were employed by Romulus?

3. Did you incur one or more of the qualifying event expenses listed in the chart below?

4. Do you have the documentation for the event and expenses which provide the necessary details such as date of the expense, person responsible for bill and other details listed in the application?

5. Is the event documentation dated within 60 days of the application date?

6. While there are some additional criteria, applications that do not meet these basic criteria cannot be approved.

 

The Qualified Events/Expenses Matrix below is a complete listing of events and expenses. The expenses which are eligible depend on which Event occurred and the “√” indicates which expenses are associated with each Event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Who does the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund include as eligible dependents? 

The Romulus Employee Assistance Fund considers the employee’s spouse/domestic partner, minor children and other dependents for whom the employee is financially responsible as eligible dependents. Parents, grandparents or other relatives are not considered dependents, unless the employee can show that they are claimed as a dependent on the employee’s federal tax returns.  A domestic partner is defined as “an on-going and committed spouse-like relationship between adults of the same or opposite gender.”

 

Do you need help from the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund, but are unsure of how to apply? Are you having trouble with the application or the documentation required? 

The best thing to do then is to seek help from someone that you trust to assist you through the process. Your supervisor could perhaps help, a trusted family member, or someone from the human resources department. The important thing to remember is that you have a better chance of getting your application approved, if you complete the application accurately, and supply all of the backup documentation necessary.

 

How do I apply for assistance from the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund?

Scroll down and click on the "apply now" button to be directed to the online application system.

 

What does "Unable to work due to the event" mean?

An applicant is “unable to work due to the event” when they are forced to take 5 or more days off from work. These days off must be either due to a serious illness or injury of the applicant or their dependent, or due to the applicant being a victim of a violent crime.

 

What expenses are not covered? 

Only the expenses included in the matrix above meet the grant criteria.  Grants are not available for other expenses.

 

Which family members does the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund consider as eligible immediate family? 

An applicant may be eligible for assistance in the event that he or she is financially responsible for funeral, burial or travel expenses due to the death of an immediate family member. The Romulus Employee Assistance Fund defines an eligible immediate family member as any of the following:

• Spouse or partner in a civil union or domestic partnership

• Parent

• Child

• Sibling

• Grandparent

• Grandchild

• Spousal grandparent

• Aunt, uncle, niece or nephew

• Father in law or mother in law

• Brother in law or sister in law

• Son in law or daughter in law

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What is the turnaround time to process a grant application? 

Normally, within 10 business days or less.  The Romulus Employee Assistance Fund is administered by Emergency Assistance Foundation, Inc. (EAF) which is a 501c(3) tax-exempt, public, nonprofit organization with IRS approval specifically for Employee Hardship and Disaster Relief Funds. EAF strives to maintain a quick response time from the time they receive a complete application. However, processing time will be extended in cases where documentation or signatures are missing, or if other information is needed. Please take care to double check your application before sending it for review. You will be notified if there is missing information from your application.

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How will I be notified of the decision? 

The Emergency Assistance Foundation will notify you by email when your application is approved, missing information, missing documentation or not approved.

 

Are funds received as a grant taxable? 

No. Grants received in the U.S. are not considered part of your taxable income.  Outside of the U.S. they may or may not be taxable.

 

Do I have to repay the grant? 

No. Amounts granted under the Fund are not loans and do not have to be repaid.

 

What information does the Fund need when reviewing an application? 

In each case, the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund requires a completed application form along with required documentation needed regarding the qualifying incident.  The application must establish a financial need and document the expenses for which the grant is being requested. Payments cannot be made without copies of current bills or invoices.

 

Will my information remain confidential? 

Yes. Your personal information is only used to determine your eligibility for a grant and to determine the grant amount to be made.  Applications to the Fund are reviewed by Emergency Assistance Foundation, Inc. and will be treated in a confidential manner; however non-identifying statistical information will be reported to Romulus on a periodic basis to help it improve the fund.

 

I borrowed money from my friends and family to help me get caught up on my bills. Will the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund reimburse me so that I can pay them back? 

No. The Romulus Employee Assistance Fund is intended for those employees who do not have the means themselves or have any other resources available to pay their living expenses.

 

Can I apply on behalf of another employee? 

No. If you think a co-worker would benefit from the Romulus Employee Assistance Fund, please provide them the information about the Fund so that he or she can follow up.  In the case of an employee who is incapacitated, a family member or manager can apply on the employee’s behalf.