• Luxury electronics (TVs, DVD players, etc.)
• Lost compensation due to missed time from work
• Items covered by insurance
• Credit card debt/loans
• Legal fees
• Automobile repairs, replacement or payments

In which situations will the Cox Employee Relief Fund provide a Direct Grant?

The Cox Employee Relief Fund was established to assist employees facing a financial hardship resulting from a qualifying circumstance. The kinds of situations in which the Fund may provide a direct grant include:

• Natural Disaster (fires, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, etc.)
• Illness
• Injury
• Death

To learn more, click here.

Two types of assistance are provided:

(1) Immediate Cash Assistance – the Immediate Cash Assistance application assists with urgent cash needs arising within 24 hours immediately following an unforeseen hardship to an employee or immediate family member. The financial need must be related to disaster, illness/injuries or the loss of an immediate family member.

Examples of Immediate Cash Assistance:

• Assistance for an evacuation due to natural disaster
• Assistance with travel due to a medical emergency of an immediate family member.

(2) Relief Fund Assistance – the Relief Fund Assistance application assists with financial hardships due to a natural disaster, injury/illness or a loss of an immediate family member.

Examples of Relief Fund Assistance:

• Assistance with home modifications due to an illness and/or injury such as a handicap ramp or bathroom modification.
• Assistance with travel and hotel expenses for a funeral (immediate family members)
• Assistance with home insurance deductible after a fire or natural disaster.

CERF considers the employee, their spouse/domestic partner, minor children up to age 18 (up to age 26, if covered by health insurance) and other dependents for which the employee is 100% financially responsible as eligible, immediate family. Typically, immediate family members are those who can be covered by the employee’s insurance. Parents, grandparents or other relatives are not considered dependents unless the employee can show they are financially responsible for that relative (i.e., copy of most recent tax return showing dependents, proof of shared physical address or proof of financial responsibility). Travel to the funeral of an immediate family member is covered regardless of age or dependency.

Required documentation depends on the reason for the request. At a minimum the Fund requires copies of the current bills for which the employee seeks assistance.

It’s very helpful for the employee to include a personal written statement with their application. This helps our staff “connect the dots” between the situation and the employee’s current financial hardship.

Yes. Employees of Cox Enterprises and its family of companies – whether active or on a company approved leave of absence, part time and full time – are eligible to apply for Relief Fund assistance.

Cox Employee Relief Fund strives to maintain a two-business day lead time (excluding weekends and holidays) from the time we receive a complete application. However, processing time will be extended in cases where we are missing documentation, signatures, or if other information is needed.

Employees should contact their Human Resources (HR) business partner prior to applying for assistance. The HR business partner will work with the employee to determine eligibility and based on that determination; the application must be submitted via the online form by the employee.

If an employee is required to travel out of state for specialized care, make home modifications or is unable to pay their rent or mortgage as a result of an illness or injury, CERF may provide assistance with travel and hotel expenses, cost for home modifications or rent or mortgage payments.

If an employee is displaced, needs to make home repairs or relocate as a result of a natural disaster, CERF may provide assistance with temporary lodging, insurance deductibles and home repairs or relocation expenses. CERF is also able to provide a predetermined allowance toward the replacement of food, clothing and furniture on a case-by-case basis.

If an employee is financially responsible for the final expenses or needs to travel out of town to the funeral, CERF may provide assistance with the cost of the funeral and/or travel and hotel expenses.

No. The Cox Employee Relief Fund is available for those employees who do not have the means themselves or other resources available to pay their living expenses. Similarly, CERF will not reimburse money paid by an employee to move into a new apartment or rental home.  Reimbursement for funeral expenses may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

No. Eligibility is determined by the employee’s need and circumstance. Donating to the Cox Employee Relief Fund is like giving to any other charity.

Yes. Donations from employees make it possible to provide much needed services to employees in need. As the number of donors increase, the Cox Employee Relief Fund has more money to issue to these employees. Each year, the Fund attempts to assist more employees by broadening the application of our criteria or making internal changes. Comments from our employees, staff observation of needs, and legal implications help determine the areas we can cover.

An employee may qualify for assistance one time per qualifying circumstance within a 12-month period.

You should apply for assistance as soon as you have a qualifying hardship and can provide the supporting documentation.  Please note, CERF can only address your current hardship, therefore applying within 90 days of an event is strongly recommended.

Yes, your donation is 100% tax deductible; no goods or services were provided to you because of your contribution.  According to IRS regulations, you should keep this letter in addition to your cancelled check as verification of your gift. The Cox Employee Relief Fund, Inc. is exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.  The Fund’s tax identification number is 20-3401306.