Wildfire Update: Employee Resources and Information

A message from Marcel Delhommeau, senior vice president, Human Resources, KFHP/H, SCAL & HI, and Darin Tankersley, MBA, PhD, chief operating officer, SCPMG:

Recognizing the disruption that the wildfires in Ventura County could have on our people, Kaiser Permanente is announcing the availability of disaster assistance resources for employees and physicians to help them cope with the impact of these fires.

Here are the resources being made available to employees with links to the forms and documents. SCPMG will provide its physicians with information about available disaster resources separately.

• $500 Grant — Short Term Emergency assistance for employees displaced from their primary residence under a mandatory evacuation order ^[1] (Per employee, includes on-call and temporary status):

• • For urgent and immediate needs such as food, clothing, and temporary shelter.
  • Completed forms should be submitted to the SCAL/HI HRconnect Support Hub at scalhrconnect@kp.org ^[2].
  • Processing after the completed form is submitted and approved is approximately 48 hours.
  • This is reportable income.

• $5,000 Grant (Loss of Homes) — Short Term Emergency assistance for employees who have a total loss of their owned or rented primary residence ^[3] (Per household)

• • For urgent and immediate needs related to home loss.
  • Completed forms should be submitted to the SCAL/HI HRconnect Support Hub at scalhrconnect@kp.org ^[2].
  • Processing after the completed form is submitted and approved is approximately 48 hours.
  • This is reportable income.

• $10,000 Loan — for employees who are awaiting other forms of emergency financial aid, such as federal programs and insurance claims, as a result of full or significant loss of their primary residence ^[4] (Per employee).

• • In the form of an interest-free loan requiring completion of an Emergency Loan Application and Promissory Note that stipulates payback via payroll deduction over 36 months beginning three (3) months after approval.
  • Employee must provide all relevant photos, contractor estimates, insurance, or emergency assistance claims.
  • Contact local Human Resources department.
  • Processing after the completed form is submitted and approved is approximately 48 hours.

• Accommodations for employees whose owned or rented primary residence was destroyed or declared uninhabitable, or if they were mandatorily evacuated/had a recommendation of evacuation from their primary residence and stayed in paid lodging ^[5] (Per household):

• • Maximum of 5 nights, up to $250 per night for paid lodging such as hotel rooms, Airbnb, or BnB accommodations.
  • Receipts required as proof of payment.
  • Reimbursement is for room, tax, internet, pets, and parking only; does not include room service.
  • Processing after completed form is submitted and approved is approximately 48 hours.
  • This is reportable income.

• ETO/PTO/Vacation/FPD Cash Out Eligibility

• • Employees may be eligible to cash out available ETO/PTO, Vacation, or FPD to help meet a severe financial hardship due to certain unforeseeable emergency events. Obtain information about Financial Hardship Requests ^[6] on HRconnect.

• Vanguard Withdrawal

• • Employees may also be eligible for a Financial Hardship withdrawal from their Vanguard or Fidelity 401k plan.
  • All KFH/HP/SCPMG employees and all union-represented employees contact Vanguard at (800) 523-1188
  • As always, employees may contact their local Human Resources department or the National Human Resources Service Center at 1-877-457-4772 with questions.