THE TMX CARES FUND
The TMX Cares Fund (the “Fund”) is a program that helps team members who are facing hardships and may require immediate emergency financial assistance due to an event or catastrophe that is sudden, unexpected, and critical. Such scenarios include acute illness, or loss of belongings and home due to fire, flood, or natural disasters.
Team members applying for assistance must have a qualifying event and a qualifying expense. If an application is approved, a gift may be awarded as a one-time limited assistance gift and is not a loan. Gifts are given to the Fund through our team member’s generosity in support of other team members during their time of need.
TMX Cares Fund Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”)
All regular full time team members who have been employed a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) days. Team members do not have to be enrolled in Company benefits. Temporary team members or independent contractors are not eligible.
A family crisis can include situations involving the team member, their spouse or partner (as recognized under state law in the state of their legal residence), children or their legal dependent(s), or a parent for whom they are the primary caregiver.
Applications to the Fund must have a documented emergency situation that has caused a financial hardship. Applicants must have exhausted all other means of obtaining financial assistance for the situation. The crisis situation must be an event beyond the team member’s control. Examples could include fire, natural disaster such as flood or hurricane, loss of essential property or primary residence due to fire, flood or natural disaster, death within the immediate family, catastrophic accident, illness, disability, etc.
Situations that are not eligible for consideration could include debt consolidation, litigation, poor financial planning, non-essential items (e.g., cable TV, cell phones, credit card payments, or other reoccurring monthly bills, etc.), general dentistry, bail, garnishments, travel expenses for funerals, child care, car repairs, rent payments, or other expenses deriving from non-emergency situations. Ultimately, the determination of whether something qualifies as an emergency for consideration under the Fund is within the sole and absolute discretion of the Committee.Team members are required to submit an application found on the TMX Success Portal which identifies the emergency situation, as well as other options that have been considered to meet financial needs, and appropriate documentation to verify need to the Human Resources Department at TMXCares@titlemax.com. Submission of an application is not a guarantee that the Fund can or will be able to provide assistance.
Applicants are encouraged to submit all information they feel may be necessary so that their request can be thoroughly evaluated by the Committee. Supportive documentation could include a statement from a physician, medical bills, fire report, death certificate, pay stubs that document loss of income due to illness, accident, or similar. If the Committee requests additional information, the team member should provide such documentation as soon as possible so that the Committee can timely review the application.
All requests shall be considered confidentially and the team members name and all identifying information, including sensitive medical information, will be removed prior to forwarding to the Committee for consideration. Requests may be fully funded up to the maximum limit or only partially funded.
A Committee of five current team members appointed by the President (the “Committee”) will review all requests and decide, in their sole discretion, whether the situation meets the requirements to be considered an emergency situation, and if so, will determine how much, if any, of the assistance requested will be approved. Members of the Committee shall serve a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years, unless separated from the Company prior to serving the minimum period of time. The Committee shall select a Chair to facilitate the meeting. A representative from HR may serve as ex-officio. Should a member of the Committee leave the Company, the Company President may choose to appoint someone else in his sole discretion.
Every effort will be made to review requests as soon as possible, given the urgency of the team member’s need. In most cases, a decision will be reached within thirty (30) days of the Committee’s receipt of all necessary information and the application, including any supplemental information requested from the team member. The Company will make every effort to review all applications expeditiously.
Once the request has been approved, the team member will be notified by email, with written notification to follow. When applicable, disbursement will be made directly to the service provider on behalf of the team member and will be mailed or may be picked up by the team member. Every attempt will be made to process checks as quickly as possible. All checks represent a one-time payment. Funds will not be declared for tax purposes and are not included as part of the team member’s income or bonus or any other form of compensation. It is the recipient’s responsibility to determine taxability of the gift.
The Committee may review multiple requests at any given time and it may not always be possible to approve all valid emergency financial hardships, properly documented requests given limited Fund availability. All decisions of the Committee are final.
Team members may submit only one application within a six-month period. No more than three applications may be submitted within the team member’s total term of employment. No more than one application may be submitted per crisis situation.
Team Members will be granted no more than the documented amount needed, up to maximum limit of $1,000 within a 12-month period (but the maximum amount may be increased given extreme extenuating circumstances, at the Committee’s sole and absolute discretion). No more than one application may be submitted per crisis situation. The amount awarded to all applicants cannot exceed the available Fund balance.
Any assistance is dependent upon the generosity of fellow team members and thus amounts awarded can vary.
Team members may make contributions to the Fund by cash and by participating in various fundraising events.
Gifts to the Fund are not tax deductible.
Monitoring Fund levels and determining appropriate fundraising opportunities will be the responsibility of the Committee.