Wearwell Employee Care Fund was established in 2015 to provide short-term, emergency financial support to employees of Wearwell, Inc. who are facing financial hardship as a result of certain unforeseen and unpreventable circumstances.
Employee Care Funds
Employers Who Care
At CFMT, we work with employers who care for their teams and support them in times of tragedy or need.
Employers often want to support employees who suffer tragedy. Natural disasters, death, life-threatening illness, and serious injury are circumstances that make us all want to help.
When provided directly to employees, such help is kind and generous but is not considered by the IRS to be a “charitable” act qualifying for a tax deduction.
To allow compassionate employers to support their valued workforce, the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has created Employee Care Funds — a tax-deductible, charitable solution that can provide emergency assistance to employees when they need it most.
Employee Care Funds give the company an opportunity to focus on the organization’s most valuable asset. CFMT handles the administrative burden by handling the entire application process, including accepting, reviewing, and verifying applications. Once applications are approved, financial assistance for employees is provided through payments to vendors.
Looking For Assistance? Search our Employee Care Funds
The LP Cares Fund was established in 2014 to help employees with one-time, short term assistance when disaster strikes.
Along with helping those in crisis, Employee Care Funds let employees know they are valued and that their employer cares about their wellbeing.
Here’s how it works:
- A company makes a tax-deductible contribution to establish an Employee Care Fund within the Community Foundation.
- This creates a charitable vehicle through which employees facing crisis are able to apply for emergency support to get through financial hardship.
- Education is provided about how the Fund works, including how gifts can be made and how employees apply when they are in need.
- CFMT handles the details from here, such as processing all employee applications to ensure privacy and equity.
Qualifying Events for Employee Assistance
NATURAL DISASTERexpand_more
This includes a situation such as a flood, hurricane, tornado, wildfire, severe storm, or earthquake that has damaged or destroyed a primary residence.
LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS OR INJURYexpand_more
This includes the employee, spouse, and eligible dependent(s). Employees do not automatically qualify for assistance when they, or their dependents, are diagnosed, and assistance from a Fund cannot be a substitute for medical insurance. Applicants must demonstrate resulting financial need, including an inability to pay basic living expenses.
DEATHexpand_more
DEATH
This includes the death of the employee or eligible dependent(s). A Fund cannot pay for travel to funerals or other funeral expenses, but it can help when loss of income,funeral expenses, or medical bills prevent an employee or the employee’s family from affording basic living expenses.
OTHER CATASTROPHIC OR EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCESexpand_more
These may be but are not limited to house fire; major home damage that an employee could not avoid or prevent; serious crime against an employee such as robbery, arson, assault, domestic abuse; or another reportable crime that impacts the ability to afford basic living expenses.
Looking for Assistance with your Employee Care Fund?
Our team is ready to help you get connected with the assistance you need. Contact Shemika Walker, our Senior Manager of Employee Care Programs or Keith King, our Philanthropic Services Manager for help or to learn more.
Keith King
Philanthropic Services Manager
Shemika Walker
Senior Manager of Employee Care Program
