Table of Contents

  • Alphabetical Listing
  • Introduction
  • Attendance
  • Benefits
  • Classification
  • Definitions
  • Employee and     Labour Relations
  • General Employee     Information
  • Human Resources      Contact Numbers
  • Leave
  • Occupational Health     and Safety
  • Pay
  • Staffing
  • Travel
  • Workforce     Development

Relocation

Policy Statement

Employees who are required to change headquarters a minimum of 80 kilometers, at the request of the Employer, will be reimbursed reasonable relocation expenses.

Application

This policy applies to all employees. Bargaining unit employees should also consult their respective collective agreements.

Definitions

Responsibilities

Department

It is the responsibility of individual departments to:

• provide relocating employees with a copy of the Relocation Policy;
• ensure Government Purchasing Agency is provided with a Requisition for Supplies and Services for a moving company in accordance with its policies and procedures;
• ensure completion of the Relocation Expense Agreement form;
• approve the employee’s relocation plan and appropriate expenses;
• ensure submitted expense claims are in accordance with this policy; and
• recover any unfilled portion for credit either through payroll deduction or other action where an employee fails to fulfil the terms of the Relocation Expense Agreement.

Employees

It is the responsibility of employees to:

• arrange relocation in the most cost effective manner and obtain Deputy Minister approval of the relocation plan;
• complete Request for Relocation Expenses form and forward to the personnel designated to handle departmental or divisional relocations; and
• unless extenuating circumstances exist, ensure that all authorized expenses are submitted for payment within 30 days of moving and all appropriate receipts are attached.

Eligibility

Permanent employees who are required by the Employer to relocate are eligible to have approved relocation expenses reimbursed at 100%.

Permanent employees who are appointed to or who request a transfer to a hard-to-fill position are eligible to have approved relocation expenses reimbursed at 100%.

Initial appointments to permanent positions identified as hard-to-fill are eligible to have approved relocation expenses reimbursed at 100%. Initial appointments to permanent positions not identified as hard-to-fill, are eligible to have relocation expenses reimbursed at 75%.

Employees working in temporary, seasonal or contractual positions, or employees who take voluntary demotion, are not eligible to receive relocation expenses unless specifically authorized by Treasury Board Secretariat.

When both relocating spouses are Provincial Public Sector employees, they will have approved expenses reimbursed as an employee and spouse, not as two separate employees.

Selection of Moving Company

The selection of movers will be processed in accordance with the established purchasing procedures of the Government Purchasing Agency.

Movement of Employees/Dependents

House Hunting Trip

Employees will be granted leave with pay and travel expenses for the employee and spouse for up to 5 days for the purposes of one house hunting trip.

Dependent Care Expenses

Employees who incur child care expenses for children less than 16 years of age may be reimbursed $25.00 per family for each night that the parents are absent on the house hunting trip.

Temporary Living Expenses

Where a new home cannot immediately be established upon relocation, claims for temporary accommodations and meals for employees, their spouses and dependent children may be allowed for up to 14 calendar days. This includes the 5 days referenced in ‘House Hunting Trip’.

In extenuating circumstances only, the Deputy Minister may approve additional temporary accommodations and meals. The onus is on the employee to justify the need for additional temporary living expenses.

Method of transportation

Employees will be reimbursed for expenses as approved in the employee’s relocation plan. This plan is normally based on the most economical method of relocation given the following factors:

• methods of transportation available and the amount of traveling time required for each method;
• number, age and any special needs of the dependents to be relocated;
• any special needs of the employee or his/her spouse; and d. expenses, with receipts, that employees may claim in transit, i.e., accommodations.

Where employees can demonstrate that savings will be realized by the Department, a lump sum taxable payment of up to $5,000 may be provided for relocations within Labrador and within the island portion of the Province, and up to $10,000 for relocations between Labrador and the island portion of the Province. The onus is on employees wishing to avail of this payment to demonstrate to the Department how cost savings can be achieved.

Should this payment be made, employees waive all claims to expenses associated with house hunting trip, transportation and storage of furniture and household effects, transportation and storage of motor vehicles, and relocation expenses for relocation to their new location. Employees continue to be eligible to receive payment for fees and other reimbursements as outlined in Sale of Principal Place of Residence and Purchase or Construction of Principal Place of Residence.

Accommodations

Where commercial accommodations are required, employees will be reimbursed for the cost of such accommodations based on government rates and the submission of receipts. Charges for additional rooms may be approved by the Deputy Minister based on the number of employee dependents.

Where employees avail of private accommodations they may be reimbursed $25 per night for the employee and $25 per night for the employee’s spouse, where applicable.

Meals

When employees claim for meals they should note the number of persons for whom meals are claimed as well as the ages of all children. Employees, their spouses and their dependants 10 years or older may claim the meal allowance rate outlined in the Meal Rates Policy. Employee’s may claim one half of this rate for dependents under the age of 10 years.

Travel Advance

Employees who require a travel advance should complete an Official Journey Authorization/Payment Voucher as outlined in the Travel Advances Policy.

Transportation of Furniture and Household Effects

Employees may claim the following expenses for the transportation of furniture and household effects of their principal residence:

• crating, packing and unpacking;
• cartage and transportation;
• complete replacement insurance (by hundredweight) in transit;
• storage charges up to a maximum of one month;
• electrical, cable and telephone hookups and disconnects and change of address referral costs (except where incidental allowances are provided in compliance with collective agreements);
• reasonable expenses incurred in shipping domestic family pets, including rental of transportation cages.

The following items are not covered under this policy:

• items which by law or tariff may not be moved with household effects;
• goods requiring climatically controlled conditions;
• boats in excess of 3.7 metres (12 feet) and portable outboard motors which are not properly serviced for the move and which have not been accepted by the carrier on a straight weight basis;
• livestock (sheep, cattle, etc.); and
• travel trailers.

Transportation and Storage of Motor Vehicles

Employees should make every effort to relocate their primary motor vehicle by driving the vehicle to their new location. In situations where an employee is unable to drive the vehicle to the new location Deputy Minister may approve up to $3,000 to cover the shipment of the vehicle to the new location.

Where employees can demonstrate cost savings by an alternate method of relocating the vehicle for less than $3,000, the Deputy may approve such a plan.

Where employees who are relocating have second vehicles, they may elect to drive one vehicle and ship the other with the associated cost being negotiated prior to relocation.

Where employees are required to relocate to or from Labrador during the closed shipping season, the Employer will reimburse up to a maximum of $100.00 per month for the cost of storing one personally owned motor vehicle.

Sale of Principal Place of Residence

Employees will be reimbursed for costs incurred in the sale of the principal residence. Original receipts are required for payment of the following:

• real estate fees up to a maximum of 6% provided such fees are incurred within 2 years of relocation;
• in circumstances where families are unable to relocate immediately, or in instances where the sale of the principal residence cannot immediately be accomplished, duplicate housing costs for a period not to exceed 3 months to a maximum of $800.00 per month;
• one appraisal fee;
• reasonable and necessary legal fees (detailed and itemized) resulting from the sale of the principal place of residence, less any tax or fuel expenses associated with this sale; and
• payment of a mortgage penalty upon the sale of the employee’s principal residence, provided the employee submits a certified invoice from the financial institution issuing the mortgage or the lawyer representing the employee.

Purchase or Construction of Principal Residence

Employees will be reimbursed for costs incurred in the purchase or construction of the principal residence. Certified statements are required for payment of the following:

• reasonable and necessary legal and mortgage fees (including mortgage insurance fees) for the purchase or construction of a new residence at the place of relocation will be covered provided such fees are incurred within two years of relocation and the claim is accompanied by a certified and detailed statement and provided the employee has sold or is in the process of selling the principal place of residence at the former location;
• employees will be reimbursed for part or all of the interest charges for a bridging loan to enable the employee to meet the down payment on a new residence pending the sale of their former residence; such interest charges may be claimed for a period not to exceed three months to a maximum of $800.00 per month;
• one appraisal fee or survey fee will be reimbursed.

Relocation Expense Agreement

New employees for whom relocation expenses are to be paid by Government will be required to sign a Relocation Expense Agreement.

On satisfactory completion of the terms of the agreement, an employee's indebtedness (in respect of relocation expenses) will be discharged in full.

Employees who fail to fulfill the terms of the agreement will repay expenses for the period not served as set out in the Schedule of Amortization of Relocation Expenses.

Schedule of Amortization of Relocation Expenses

Last Updated: March 15, 2000
Reference: TBM 2000-069