The University of Alabama

The University of Alabama Acts of Kindness-Employee Emergency Relief Fund

The purpose of the Acts of Kindness – Employee Emergency Relief Fund (“Fund”) is to provide appropriate relief to eligible faculty and staff of The University of Alabama (“UA”) who experience a qualifying event or emergency.  The Fund shall strive to accomplish that purpose by:  

• Encouraging supporters of UA to voluntarily support the Fund
• Providing a mechanism for such support
• Providing aid and support to UA faculty and staff

Eligibility
Persons eligible for financial assistance shall be current employees of the University, either faculty or staff, who are classified as regular full-time or regular part-time and who have successfully completed their six (6) month introductory period.  Retirees or retired disabled employees are eligible for 90 days following retirement. Persons who are not eligible to participate include temporary or irregular employees, those employees who do not receive benefits, students, work-study students, and employees of contractors.

Applications

To begin the application process, an employee must contact the HR Service Center at 348-7732 or hrsvctr@fa.ua.edu.   The employee will be prescreened over the telephone to determine potential eligibility. 

If the employee appears to meet the basic guidelines, an appointment will be scheduled.  The employee will need to bring documentation of the qualifying event or emergency. 

Qualifying Event or Emergency
Applicants of the Fund must have a documented event or emergency situation that has caused a financial hardship.  This event or emergency must be an occurrence of any event or combination of circumstances or events that call for immediate action or any pressing need following a sudden and unexpected happening, the occurrence of which was wholly unforeseen by the applicant and beyond the employee’s control.  The event or emergency must directly impact the applicant.  Events or emergencies directly affecting family members of applicants, with only an indirect effect on the applicant, are not qualifying events for which an award from the Fund will be made.

Examples of emergency situations that could be considered as a basis for assistance include but are not limited to: fire; natural disaster such as flood, tornado, etc. resulting in destruction of the primary residence (rental properties are excluded); loss of employment of spouse; death in immediate family if accompanied by other hardships; or life-altering accidents.

Other qualifying events include time-limited, specific events that place an applicant who otherwise was not experiencing financial distress in a position of temporary financial hardship.  Temporary means that with the assistance of this Fund, the applicant could regain financial stability within a relatively short period of time.  Longstanding financial problems not related to the time-limited, specific event do not meet the temporary hardship requirement and are not qualifying events for which an award from the Fund will be made.

Common life occurrences such as routine car and home repairs, car and home maintenance, legal fees, monthly bills, animal care, and living beyond one’s means are not qualifying events for which an award from the Fund will be made. Also, financial hardships caused by garnishments, payday/title loans, and student loans do not qualify for assistance.

Standards to Provide Financial Assistance
Financial assistance is not intended to replace all losses or to reimburse the cost of nonessential, luxury, or decorative items or services.

Financial assistance should be gratuitous, measured solely by need or distress, not related to services rendered, and not necessarily designed to place the recipient in the same economic position as prior to the qualifying emergency or event.

Any benefit to the University from such financial assistance should be, at most, incidental and tenuous.

All financial assistance shall be distributed in compliance with UA’s non-discrimination policy.

To view the Acts of Kindness – Employee Emergency Relief Fund Rules and Procedures, click here.