Emergency Closure

To qualify for the Employee Hardship Assistance Program, employees must meet the following criteria:

1. Employee Eligibility:

• Applicants must be current, active employees of the University of South Florida for the duration of the hardship.
• Full-time or part-time ongoing employees paid on an hourly or salaried basis.
• Employees who have a base salary of $105,000 or below.
• Student and Temporary employees are not eligible for the Employee Hardship Assistance Program, but helpful student resources can be found in the USF Hurricane Guide for support following a hurricane. 

2. Disaster Type:

The natural disaster must be officially declared by local, state, or federal authorities (e.g., hurricanes, floods, wildfires, or other unforeseen acts of God). The program will provide assistance for disasters impacting employees’ verified residence within a designated disaster or evacuation zone as established by state/local/federal government.

3. Financial Hardship:

Employees must demonstrate that they have experienced significant financial hardship due to the disaster or covered situation that will not be paid for by insurance or other reimbursements. This could include:

• loss of livable housing due to structural damages caused by fire or natural disaster.
• death or serious injury of a family or household member.
• serious illness or injury.
• temporary financial hardship means a hardship event rather than pre-existing financial difficulties, such as prior past due bills. 

4. Location of Residence:

Employees must reside within a zone officially impacted by the natural disaster (e.g., designated evacuation areas, regions declared under a state of emergency).

5. Documentation:

Employees must submit proof of residence in the affected area and documentation of the financial hardship (e.g., damage reports, insurance claims, receipts for emergency expenses, medical bills).

Maximum Grant:

The grant amount will vary depending on the severity of the impact and the available resources, not to exceed $2,500 per household.

Non-repayable:

The grant is a one-time, non-repayable financial assistance designed to address immediate and critical needs. The funds are provided as a tax-exempt grant, subject to IRS guidelines for disaster relief.  Grant payments are treated as nontaxable disaster relief payments; however, the employee is responsible for any taxes found owing on the employee’s portion of the grant payment, as applicable.

Submission:

Employees must complete an online application form, including details of the disaster’s impact and supporting documentation. 

Review and Approval:

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis by an internal review committee. Decisions will be made based on the severity of need, availability of funds, and adherence to eligibility criteria.

Approved requests received during the regular payroll cycle will be directly deposited to the employee’s account as a separate payment. If received outside the cycle the payment will be processes via check and mailed to the employee’s home address on file USF cannot mail checks to alternative addresses or issue them on-site.

The Employee Hardship Assistance Program, funded and administered through the USF Foundation, provides financial support to University of South Florida (USF) employees who have been directly affected by a natural disaster. The program aims to address immediate needs such as temporary housing, home repairs, medical expenses, and other urgent costs resulting from the hardship that will not be paid by insurance or other reimbursements.

To qualify, you must:

• Be a current, active employee of USF.
• Be a full-time or part-time continuing employee (i.e., not OPS or temporary), either hourly or salaried.
• Have a base salary of $105,000 or below.
• Reside within an area officially designated as impacted by a natural disaster.
• Please note: Student and Temporary employees are not eligible for the Employee Hardship Assistance Program, but helpful student resources can be found in the USF Hurricane Guide for support following a hurricane. 

The program covers natural disasters officially declared by local, state, or federal authorities. Examples include hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and other unforeseen acts of God. The program applies to employees whose primary residence is within an affected area, such as a designated evacuation zone or region declared under a state of emergency.

 Financial hardship caused by the disaster can include:

• Loss of livable housing due to structural damage.
• Death or serious injury of a family or household member.
• Serious illness or injury.
• Loss of transportation.

The program offers a one-time grant of up to $2,500 per household, depending on the severity of the hardship and the availability of program funds.

No, the assistance is a non-repayable grant. The funds are provided as a tax-exempt grant, subject to IRS guidelines for disaster relief.

You will need to provide:

• Proof of residence in the affected area.
• Documentation of the financial hardship (e.g., damage reports, insurance claims, receipts for emergency expenses, or medical bills).

Complete the application form and submit it online along with supporting documentation. 

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by an internal review committee. Decisions are based on the severity of need, available funds, and compliance with the program's eligibility criteria.

The review process is designed to be swift, but the exact time may vary depending on the number of applications and the complexity of each case. You will be notified of the decision as soon as possible after submission.

No, the grant is a one-time financial assistance meant to address immediate needs following a single disaster.

No, the program is specifically designed to assist employees impacted by natural disasters. Pre-existing financial challenges unrelated to the disaster are not covered by this program.

If your payment request is approved during the normal payroll processing cycle, the funds will be direct deposited into your account as a separate payment, in addition to your regular paycheck.

If your request is processed outside the regular payroll cycle, you will receive a physical check (also known as a live paycheck). This check will be mailed to your home address on file.

No, direct deposit is not available for off-cycle checks. These checks will be processed as physical checks and mailed to you.

No, USF cannot mail checks to an alternate address that is not already on file in your employee records at the time of payment processing. Please make sure your current address is up to date in the system.

Off-cycle checks are mailed from Alpharetta, GA, and will be sent to the home address listed in your employee record.

No, USF does not issue checks on-site. All off-cycle checks are mailed from the designated processing center.