Policy 28 – Payment of Moving Expenses and Travel Allowances to Newly-Appointed Faculty and Staff Members

1. GENERAL

The University will reimburse newly appointed faculty members, appointed for two years or more, with rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor; and regular appointment staff members in salary classifications USG 8 and above, for a portion of the costs incurred by the appointee and her/his immediate family in moving from a single residence to a location normally within a 40-kilometer radius of the University of Waterloo or the location of normal workplace. The move should normally occur within six months, but not beyond one year, from the date the appointee commences work at UW.

Reimbursement is intended to help such new faculty and staff members with the cost of physical removal of family and personal effects from their residence at the time of appointment, to their new residence. It is not normally intended to cover a variety of sundry items arising from the removal such as legal fees, commission on the sale or purchase of property, duty on articles brought into Canada, rentals, house hunting, baby sitters, pets, cleaning, storage of furniture, loss on sale of assets, and expenses not directly related to physical removal.

2. ELIGIBLE COSTS AND CONDITIONS

1. Travel Costs

   The payment of actual transportation is based on economy air fare or first-class rail for each member of the family and will be reimbursed when supported by fare receipts (and meal receipts if they are not included in fare charges),  OR
   if a private automobile is used, payment of the authorized University rate per kilometer for travel by the most direct route will be made, plus lodging and meals en route for a reasonable number of driving days. 

2. Moving Expenses

   This policy is designed to cover the movement of normal household goods only. An amount of 75% of the commercial mover's charges for transport, up to a maximum weight of 4000 kilograms, will be reimbursed based on the mover's invoice. This payment does not cover costs of such items as: surcharges for handling of items other than standard household furniture and appliances; storage of any sort; detaching and attaching appliances (blocking of washing machine drum is covered); the moving of automobiles, fences, doghouses, firewood, pianos, unusually heavy hobby items, or similar items; packing and unpacking of household goods. The University will pay for insuring personal and household effects during transit at the carrier's rate at time of move, up to a maximum of 4000 kilograms.

3. Special Conditions

   Arrangements with respect to moving expenses will be detailed in appointment letters which will serve as authority for payment of moving expenses. Appropriate documents must support requests for payments of travel expenses. Should special arrangements be authorized due to exceptional circumstances, a memo from the appropriate Dean, Associate Provost or Vice-President must accompany moving and travel documents when they are presented for payment. Travel from overseas must have special approval of the appropriate Dean, Associate Provost or Vice-President before commitments are made to a candidate for a faculty or staff position. If a faculty or staff member voluntarily leaves the service of the University before the expiry of two years from the effective date of appointment, this member will be required to refund a portion of any moving and/or travel expenses paid. This amount may be deducted from the final salary payment. The amount will be calculated on the basis of 1/24 of the allowance for each month of the two-year period not yet served. Normally, faculty and staff members are personally responsible for all personal living costs, including any necessary temporary accommodation, after their arrival at the location of their new residence.

4. Moving Service

   The University's Procurement & Contract Services Department provides a service to individuals being moved by arranging for moves through a selected carrier. New faculty and staff members are urged to use this service. (The University from time to time selects a mover to handle University moves by competitive bid, resulting in lower costs to both the individual and the University. Experience has indicated that this arrangement tends to increase mover care and concern and greatly aids rapid processing of any claims resulting from a move.)

5. Moves of Scientific Equipment or other Academic Resource Material

   The Dean of a Faculty may, under some circumstances, approve special arrangements for moving scientific equipment or other academic resource material which will contribute to the University's academic program.