ECF Guidelines

Welcome to the Employee Care Foundation (E.C.F.).

There is an old saying that charity begins at home and as an Employee, you are our most important asset. The E.C.F. was founded in 2007 and is a 501(c)3 fund established to help Invited’s Employees in need of financial assistance in times of crisis. The E.C.F. assists with hardships due to illness, injury, death, fire or other catastrophic events.

SPECIAL COVID-19 ANNOUNCEMENT

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted everyone, especially a number of Employees that have been placed on Unpaid Time Off. The E.C.F. can help. With the expected volume of assistance requests, the first priority will be Employees with housing impacts (rent and mortgage) and those that have a potential to be displaced. For Employees that have been placed on Unpaid Time Off, we have simplified the request form used for assistance to speed up the process. You can click here to get the simplified form and, once completed, submit it to EPCF@clubcorp.com.  

We hope you, your family and friends stay safe and healthy throughout this crisis. Together, we will get through this.

GUIDELINES FOR DETERMINING ASSISTANCE

How to Request Assistance
The E.C.F. Board meets every Tuesday at 2 p.m. (Central). In order to best help the Employee, please submit all requests by Monday at 12 p.m. (Central).

Temporary Assistance
Temporary assistance is defined as a situation that is devastating, but will not impact the Employee for the rest of his/her life. The situation is expected to last several days, several weeks or several months. The examples are, but are not limited to:

  • Broken limb/surgery
  • Sick child, spouse, family member
  • Temporary hospitalization
  • Domestic abuse

Long-Term Assistance
Long-term assistance is defined as a situation that will affect the Employee for the rest of his/her life. It not only affects the Employee monetarily, but emotionally as well. It is expected that the Employee may or may not return to full capacity. Aftercare may be required. The examples are, but are not limited to:

  • Long-term illness
  • Loss of limb
  • Child, spouse, parent, family member diagnosed with ongoing disease
  • Death of a family member (immediate or otherwise)

Death
Assistance may be given in the way of funeral payment and/or assistance with expenses after the death.

  • Up to $7,500 is given toward funeral expenses for an employee, spouse and/or dependent(s). Life insurance, work status, and age of children are considered.
  • Assistance for non-dependents, such as a parent or sibling, is up to $1,500, depending on travel and assistance for payment of funeral invoice. 
  • Parents or siblings under the care of the Employee will also be considered, with documentation.
  • Assistance may be extended to the family if the primary wage earner of the home is deceased.
  • Consideration is extended based upon the request of the family. It is expected that costs will vary.
  • Costs may include airfare for the Employee and/or family, as well as shipping of deceased.

Fire
Assistance due to a fire in an Employee's residence is extended in the form of gift cards. This allows the Employee to purchase items lost as a result of the fire, smoke, and/or water damage.

  • An amount, not to exceed $5,000, is awarded to the Employee, with consideration for homeowner’s or renter’s insurance.
  • An additional amount, up to $750, is awarded per each immediate family member and/or child in the household. This does not include roommates.
  • If the Employee resides with his/her parents, assistance is given only to the Employee, not the homeowner(s).
  • In addition, assistance may be extended to the Employee to find new housing. One month’s rent and deposit is standard.

Vehicle Repairs
Assistance for vehicle repairs will be considered on a case-by-case basis when the affected vehicle is the Employee's only form of transportation to and from work and will generally not exceed $1,000. 

Revisit
Revisit is defined as a request that has been approved by the E.P.C.F. Board, but further assistance is needed.

  • Additional documentation is required, such as a physician’s letter.
  • Revisits occur on occasion.
  • The E.C.F. Board must explore all aspects of why a revisit is needed. If unclear, the General Manager of the Club must be consulted.
  • The Board will typically accept requests from an individual Employee a maximum of three times during a 12-month period. The collective maximum amount awarded during a 12 month period will be $7,500.

Natural Disaster
In the event of a natural disaster, such as a tornado, hurricane, or earthquake, Employees may have the option to use their available vacation time. According to Invited policy, Employees may not use Personal Time, Sick Time, or borrow against Vacation Time to cover wages/hours lost due to the natural disaster. Also, if the Club is able to provide financial assistance (e.g. a pay advance), the Employee should request the same from the Club. The E.C.F. generally does not provide support on a group basis or care packages.

All requests for assistance will be reviewed on an individual basis, and E.C.F. Request Forms should be completed in their entirety. Assistance will be awarded in the form of gift cards.

Worker’s Compensation/Work Injury Plan

Employee Care Foundation (E.C.F.) requests are submitted for an Employee, even though they are receiving WC Benefits.

  • The WC Coordinator must investigate the request before proceeding.
  • On occasion, it may be necessary to extend E.C.F. benefits in addition to WC benefits, based on the percentage of the WC payments.

FAQ

Is assistance confidential? Yes, all assistance is confidential. The information requested on the Employee Care Foundation Request Form will be used by those involved with the E.C.F. for the limited purpose of the request and will be shared with the appropriate personnel for evaluation. 

How does the Employee Care Foundation decide who will be helped? The E.C.F. Board is comprised of six voting members. The Board approves requests and determines the amount and type of award given for assistance. The Board meets every Tuesday at 2 p.m. CST. 

What types of hardships are considered? Assistance is for the Employee and/or immediate family in challenging times or other sudden life-changing events. Immediate family is defined as spouse, child(ren), or other family dependent, such as an adopted child or significant other.

Who is eligible for assistance? Current Employees of Invited's family of Clubs are eligible for assistance.

How do I contact you? For further information about the Employee Care Foundation or to donate, please email epcf@clubcorp.com or call 972.406.7816.

If an Employee does not contribute to the fund, will they still be able to request assistance? Yes, an Employee is eligible to request assistance, even if they do not contribute.

Will I receive a confirmation that my donation has been processed? Anyone who donates an amount over $250 will receive a letter from the Employee Care Foundation (E.C.F.) specifically for tax purposes.

Can I make an anonymous donation? Yes, no information is ever passed on.

How can I find out what the organization does with its money? Under federal law, tax-exempt organizations have the duty of public accountability. Upon request, charitable organizations must provide copies of their tax-exempt application and their three most recent tax returns, called IRS Form 990. Please note, all requests must be made in person or in writing. A reasonable fee for reproduction and mailing may be charged. 

Is the E.C.F. part of Invited? The Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 entity. Employees that serve on the Board do so on a voluntary basis. The Home Office has donated services such as Web development, payroll deductions and marketing material. Decisions for distributions are strictly that of the E.C.F. Board.