Guidelines for accessing SEIU 2015 Disaster Relief Fund
SEIU 2015 has established a Disaster Relief Fund. So many in California have in past years been impacted by natural disaster, such as fires, floods, and earthquakes. Given that these natural disaster can have severe impact on individuals living in the impacted area, SEIU 2015 established this Disaster Relief Fund to provide emergency relief to impacted members and their families. Our goal is not to replace insurance or governmental assistance, but to provide a supplemental reimbursement for those unusual costs which often stretch our budgets during a natural disaster.
Criteria
- A “member of good standing” — has been a full dues paying member of SEIU 2015 for a minimum of six months in the last two years. The months of membership do not need to be consecutive. The eligible member is living in an area that has been impacted by a natural disaster, such as fire, floods, or earthquake
Available Assistance
- Eligible members and their families can receive two types of assistance up to the maximum amount(s):
- Housing Assistance: may include cost of temporary housing or repair to existing housing. Maximum assistance amount: $1,000 per SEIU 2015 household
- Other Needs Assistance: costs of disaster related expenses and serious needs including medical and dental expenses, funeral and burial costs, repair or replacement of household items such as clothing, furniture, necessary occupational tools and educational materials, costs for clean-up, excess utility costs, and other disaster related expenditures. Maximum assistance amount: $2,000 per SEIU 2015 member.
- Members sharing living quarters or otherwise sharing financial responsibility for each other shall be limited to a maximum of $4,000 per household
Incurred Loss: Your current or previous residence must have been located in a California county affected by the disaster during the last twelve (12) months and any losses claimed should have been caused by the natural disaster or its immediate consequences.
Documentation: Actual receipts or other 3rd party documentation for the amounts being requested must be provided to document an actual expense. This may include service orders for repairs completed, rent statements, cancelled checks, or other statements from vendors and service providers.
Direct Vendor Payments: Some vendors are willing to have SEIU 2015 pay them directly on behalf the claimant. If, when purchasing replacement items and housing, your vendor is willing to take payment directly from 2015, email with vendor contact information (name, phone number, email), eligible items descriptions and their costs to be procured on your behalf by SEIU 2015. These amounts are included in your maximum award.
Cash Advance: Up to $600 cash assistance can be advanced for individuals who reside with the disaster zone. Once purchases have been made with the cash advance, eligible receipts must be submitted equal to or greater than the cash advance amount received. The cash advance amount is included in the maximum award amounts noted above (that is, the combined amount of cash advance, direct vendor payments and reimbursement checks cannot exceed the total award maximum). All documentation should include a name, address, and phone number for the service provider or retailer, who must actually receive payment from you for the service or item. (For example: we cannot reimburse for repairs performed by a neighbor or family member even if they provide you with an “invoice” for the value of the repairs unless you actually paid cash for the service. However, we can reimburse for any equipment, parts or tools which were needed to achieve the repair.)
Please call the MAC to get started, 855-810-2015.