Employee Emergency Relief Grants

 

 GRANT PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Are you experiencing an emergency situation and need support? Please spend some time exploring the resources below to determine how they might help you navigate the road ahead. The EpicPromise Employee Foundation offers Emergency Relief grants that are for Australian, Canadian and U.S. based Vail Resorts employees – active, furloughed, or seasonal (eligible for re-hire) – and employee dependents. The Employee Foundation gives short-term aid (up to US$6,000) following a critical, unexpected event to address emergency expenses that an employee is unable to pay.　

General Criteria for Approval:
To qualify for financial assistance, employees/dependents must: (a) experience a qualifying emergency, (b) meet our Income Qualifications*, (c) demonstrate financial need, and (d) have made a reasonable attempt to address the emergency on their own.  

 

BEGIN THE EMERGENCY RELIEF PROCESS

1) Determine the type of application/form.

  • Emergency Relief Application

  • Co-Worker Referral Form: Accepted on a rolling basis and anonymous. This form is not an official application. This form notifies the EpicPromise Employee Foundation about an employee's situation. The Foundation will then reach out to the employee to gather additional information and/or encourage an application if their event is eligible.

 

2) Click on the corresponding button below to begin the application/form. 

       

 

EMERGENCY EVENT ELIGIBILITY

Qualifying Emergencies include:

  • Major illness/injury 
  • Emergency and urgent dental care (as outlined by the American Dental Association)
  • Emergency vision care 
  • Domestic violence
  • Mental health or counseling needs above and beyond what is offered via Vail Resort’s EpicWellness EAP program
  • Death
  • Natural disaster – flood, fire, hurricane, avalanche, etc.
  • Emergency travel
  • Emergency home repairs to render an unlivable home habitable
  • Handicap accessories needed as the result of an emergency (wheelchair ramps, handrails, vehicle hand controls, etc.)
  • Replacement medical devices that are not under insurance or warranty (hearing aids, insulin pumps, etc.)
  • Temporary shelter - following a disaster or domestic violence incident
  • Substance misuse and addiction recovery and rehab 

 

Non-Qualifying Emergencies/Expenses include but are not limited to:

  • Financial need due to loss of job or decrease in wages
  • Housing assistance related to expense or availability
  • Rental deposit without documented extenuating circumstances
  • Closing costs for home purchase
  • Car repair or routine maintenance
  • Car registration
  • Routine dental care/maintenance
  • Orthodontic services (unless lack of treatment has severe medical consequences)
  • Monthly or annual medical, vision or dental insurance fees
  • Elective or cosmetic medical or dental procedures
  • Any item covered by insurance (either applicant's or family member's)
  • Pet related medical/dental issues or incidents
  • Parking tickets
  • Income taxes
  • Child custody
  • Credit card debt, school loans or payday loans
  • Non-medical wage garnishments
  • Personal comfort items (physical fitness equipment, TVs, humidifier’s, radios, AC, etc.)
  • Gym memberships
  • Any loss or expense associated with illegal activity
  • Legal expenses (other than restraining order) or any current and ongoing litigation, including divorce settlements
  • Any event or incident that occurred prior to employment with Vail Resorts or that occurred more than 6 months ago 

 

We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic may be causing unprecedented circumstances and unique financial challenges that are not included in our list of qualifying emergencies. If that is the case for you, we encourage you to consider other resources including applying for your state, province, or federal government's unemployment insurance or wage subsidy programs. You can find links here. Additionally, there may be other community-based options to attain the support you need. To learn more about what is available in your community, please review the COVID-19 Community Resources Guides found here.

In addition, Vail Resorts offers many mental health resources for employees through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP), EpicWellness, including free, confidential therapy sessions for you, a family member or roommate. If you've completed all of your sessions and would like to continue your care, the EpicPromise Employee Foundation offers financial grant assistance toward counseling or therapy. If the counseling services you need are not covered by Vail Resorts’ EAP, such as substance misuse counseling or relationship counseling (spousal or family), the EpicPromise Employee Foundation may be a resource to supplement additional or uncovered expenses for specialized therapy – subject to review and approval. 

Have further questions? Consult our FAQ or email the EpicPromise Employee Foundation at epicpromise@vailresorts.com.