UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund
COVID-19 is inflicting great medical and financial harm on individuals and communities. UCR will continue supporting the well-being of its community in responding to financial challenges that may lie ahead. One way UCR will offer support during this crisis is through the UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund.
Eligible employees may request up to $1,000 for a critical, temporary, and unforeseen financial hardship due to COVID-19. Financial grants do not need to be repaid and are not taxable as income as “qualified disaster relief payments” under 26 U.S. Code § 139, as COVID-19 is a “federally declared disaster” issued by the President of the United States.
When you are ready to apply, access the application request form.
https://ucriverside.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3ViqYkwczsDfjuJ
To view the Spanish version of this webpage, please view the document.
COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund Posters
As a follow up to the establishment of the UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund, Emergency Fund posters are being provided to print and post, and to distribute your teams. These posters provide an overview and eligibility for the Employee Emergency Fund.
The Employee Emergency Fund posters are in both English and Spanish.
Support the Fund |
The UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund was established with a $300,000 private donation, part of a generous bequest from John C. Hackney, and can be supplemented with additional gifts. By making a donation, even a small one, you can help even more UCR employees who may find themselves in need of support.
Employee Emergency Fund posters are in both English and Spanish.
Applicant Eligibility Guidelines |
UCR staff career and contract employees who meet the following criteria are eligible for the UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund.
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Applicant Eligibility Guidelines
- Currently employed by UCR in a staff position of 0.5 FTE or greater.
- Continuous UCR service of six (6) months or longer.
- Current total base salary, stipend, and/or recurring additional compensation while in an active payroll status is equal to or less than $75,000.
- Have a temporary financial hardship because of the COVID-19 situation.
- Individuals who are on temporary layoff status due to COVID-19 remain actively employed UCR employees in this context.
Student employees are not eligible for the UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund.
Eligible Expenses |
Funds are available for critical, temporary and unforeseen financial hardships that result from the COVID-19 crisis. Funding provided by the UCR COVID-19 Emergency Fund may only be used to cover eligible expenses incurred on or after March 13, 2020.
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Funds will only be approved for the following expenses:
- Housing payments.
- Utility bills – For example, the incremental cost of paying for a housing utility cost that has increased as a result of working remotely.
- Medical expenses not covered by insurance.
- Child or Dependent Care Expenses – For example, the incremental cost of a camp or babysitter used during the pandemic because schools are closed versus the cost of before-care and after-care school programs used previously.
- Transportation and Parking – For example, the incremental cost of paying for a UCR parking permit used during the pandemic versus a monthly public transportation cost incurred previously.
Applying for COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund |
We encourage eligible staff to complete the application. The Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Climate Council will continue to review applications on a fund available basis. Applications can be submitted online.
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How to apply to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund
When you are ready to apply, access the application request form: https://ucriverside.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3ViqYkwczsDfjuJ
Please be ready to provide the following information when applying:
- Confirm that you believe you meet the fund’s eligibility criteria.
- Enter your personal information, including employee ID number and contact information.
- Describe your critical, temporary and unforeseen financial hardship.
- Confirm your application information is accurate and attest that you will use the funding to cover the expenses for which you have applied and will return the grant if the expenses are paid for or reimbursed by another party.
- Receipts/documentation need not be submitted, but you must be able to provide such records showing how the funds were used if asked to do so.
If you do not have access to the Internet, please consult with your supervisor for assistance in completing the online form.
Application Review and Funding Process |
The UCR Diversity Equity & Inclusion Campus Climate Council will review requests from UCR employees.
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The review and funding process
- The committee’s goal is to provide each recipient with a meaningful amount of money while also funding as many eligible applicants as resources will allow.
- All applications will be reviewed in the order they are received.
- Applicants will be notified by email about the status of their application. If you do not have access to email please provide a preferred method of communication on your application.
- Each employee can request up to a cumulative total of $1,000 in financial assistance from the UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund annually. If an application is submitted requesting less than the total $1,000 amount, it is permissible to submit another application to receive the remainder if necessary at a later date.
- Funding is awarded on a case-by-case basis and is contingent upon the availability of funds in the COVID-19 Employee Emergency Relief Fund account. Given the limited amount of funds available, requests may be fully funded up to a $1,000 limit, partially funded, or not funded at all.
- Approved funds will be paid by direct deposit if a direct deposit has been set up for your regular pay, otherwise, a paper check will be mailed to the home address we have on file in UCPath. The funds will be paid on a regularly scheduled pay date unless otherwise communicated.
If you have questions about the program, please contact the UC Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at tasha.hudson@ucr.edu or (951) 827-7061.
COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund - Frequently Asked Questions |
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How long will the UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund be available?
The program begins immediately, and funds will be available until contributions are exhausted or the federal disaster declaration expires.
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How will the approval decision and amount awarded be communicated to me?
Applicants will be notified by email about the status of their application. If you do not have access to email, please provide a preferred method of communication on your application.
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How will I receive the funds?
Approved funds will be paid by direct deposit if direct deposit has been set up for your regular pay, otherwise a paper check will be mailed to the home address we have on file in UCPath. The funds will be paid on a regularly scheduled pay date unless otherwise communicated.
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Do I need to repay money received from the UCR COVID-19 EEF?
UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Funds are awarded as grants and repayment is not expected. You will be expected to return your grant only if the expenses that were funded by are paid for or reimbursed by another party. If asked to do so, you must be able to provide receipts/documentation of how the funds were used.
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Is the money I receive from the UCR COVID-19 EEF taxable?
Financial grants do not need to be repaid and are not taxable as income as “qualified disaster relief payments” under 26 U.S. Code § 139, as COVID-19 is a “federally declared disaster” issued by the President of the United States.
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How do I calculate my added expenses due to COVID-19?
Applicants should be submitting the net (New Expense - Old Expense = Additional Expense because of COVID-19). For example, you used to take public transit, and because COVID-19 curtailed service, you were forced to drive to work and pay for parking. To calculate your additional expense: Parking Expenses – Public Transportation Expenses = Additional Expense.
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What expenses are not eligible for the program?
- Food
- Lost wages
- Office equipment (including furniture), computers, printers, telephone devices, etc.
- Office supplies including paper and printer toner
- Other home office needs, including WiFi and wiring
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Do I need to submit receipts for expenses incurred?
If asked, you must be able to provide receipts or other documentation to demonstrate that funds were used in accordance with your application and the requirements of the program. Failure do so may result in the grant money becoming taxable income.
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When will I receive the approved money once approved?
Once approved, the funds will be paid on the next regularly scheduled pay date following all scheduled UCPath payroll processing deadlines.
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Where does the money for the UCR COVID-19 EEF come from?
The UCR COVID-19 Employee Emergency Fund was established with a $300,000 private donation, part of a generous bequest from John C. Hackney.
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How do I donate to the UCR COVID-19 EEF?
To support the UCR COVID-19 EEF, please make a donation, even a small one can help more UCR employees who may find themselves in need of support. When filling out the form, please select “your Preferred Fund" (other) and enter UCR Employee Emergency Fund as the fund name.
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What if I have questions or need assistance?
If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the UC Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion via email to tasha.hudson@ucr.edu or call (951) 827-7061.