Employee moving and relocation expenses are defined as the reasonable costs incurred by a new employee, or by a current employee who transfers to a new University location, for moving household goods and personal effects, and the cost of travel to the University location for the individual and his or her household members. These costs can be reimbursed, in part or in full, when supported by invoices and receipts.
Departments can use the Moving and Relocation Checklist as a guide to help ensure that moving and relocation expenses are correctly paid and reimbursed.
Article Contents
- High-Level Relocation Process Overview
- Understanding Moving and Relocation Policies
- Obtaining Prior Approvals
- Contracting with Suppliers
- Submitting Relocation Expense Reimbursement Requests
- Accounts Payable Review and Employee Reimbursement
- Contacts for Questions about Moving and Relocation
High-Level Relocation Process Overview
Understanding Moving and Relocation Policies
Eligibility
Employees with academic appointments, Management and Senior Professional/Professional and Support Staff (MSP/PSS) and Senior Management Group (SMG) employees may be reimbursed for all or a portion of eligible moving and relocation expenses, or the University may pay vendors directly for applicable costs.
Moving expenses may be paid when a current UC employee is required to transfer or accepts a position at a campus outside a reasonable commuting distance.
General Policy Information
- All moves of the employee and members of his or her household should be completed within one year of the date an appointee first reports to the new job, even if his or her appointment date was effective prior to the report date.
- An employee who voluntarily separates prior to completing one year of service and does not accept a position within the UC system within 12 months of the initial appointment may be required to pay back 100% of moving and relocation expenses.
- Reimbursements for all moving and relocation expenses made to employees or paid directly to third parties by UCSF are taxable.
Applicable Policies
Moving and relocation is covered by several policies, with specific policies applying depending on the type of appointment:
Appointment Type | Policy |
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All | Travel Regulations, G-28 IRS Publication 521, Moving Expenses |
Academic | Academic Personnel Manual (APM) 550, 560, 561 |
MSP/PSS | Policies and Regulations Governing Moving and Relocation, G-13 |
SMG | Regents Policy 7710 - Senior Management Group Moving Reimbursement |
Relocation Expense Definitions
Terms | Definitions |
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Employee |
Prospective employee or appointee |
Members of Household |
IRS Section 1.217-2(b)(10) defines “members of household” as other individuals who are members of the taxpayer’s household, and who have the taxpayer’s former residence and the taxpayer’s new residence as their principal place of abode. A member of the taxpayer’s household is any individual, including domestic partner, residing at the taxpayer’s residence who is neither a tenant nor an employee of the taxpayer. |
Household Goods and Personal Effects |
Household goods and personal effects include furniture, clothing, household appliances, and other items that are usual and necessary for the maintenance of a household. |
Freight Costs |
Freight costs include the total charges for transporting household effects from the point of origin to the point of destination. Freight costs also include associated charges such as packing containers, labor, and insurance of household and personal effects. |
Moving and Transferring Expenses |
Moving and transferring expenses are defined as the reasonable costs of moving household goods and personal effects to a new residence. These include the cost of travel to the university location for the prospective employee and his or her immediate family. |
Reasonable Costs |
Reasonable costs are costs that are considered to be reasonable under the circumstances of a particular move such as travel from the old to the new residence made via a conventional mode of transportation using the shortest and most direct route available and in the shortest period of time normally required to travel the distance. |
Commuting Distance | The distance between the individual's new job location and his or her former principal residence must be at least 50 miles more than the distance between the individual's previous work location and his or her formal principal residence. |
Reimbursement of Moving and Relocation Expenses
The matrix below serves as a general guideline for understanding reimbursable or non-reimbursable relocation expense and may not capture all expense types and conditions. Therefore, it is not intended as a replacement for policy. For more detailed information on policy guidelines and requirements refer to UC Policy G-13, Policy and Regulations Governing Moving and Relocation.
Download a PDF version of the Moving and Relocation Reimbursement Matrix
Expense Category | Type of Expense/Purpose | Reimbursable? | Comments |
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Pre-Move & House Hunting Expenses | Airfare - Return Trips | No | Generally, return trips are not reimbursable. |
House Hunting-Travel expenses, meals & lodging, & rental car for pre-move | No | Generally, house hunting trips are not reimbursable. | |
Moving Expenses - Personal Travel (Final Trip) | Relocation Allowance | No | Generally, relocation allowance is not allowed. |
Airfare | Yes |
Employee: First trip associated with start of work (one-way coach airfare) is considered a final trip. Family members: Airfares for final trip (one-way coach airfare). |
|
Connecting and disconnecting utilities, but not refundable deposits | Yes | ||
Domestic Pets/Household Pets | Yes | Transportation of domestic pets (does not include livestock) normally kept or permitted in residence, from the old to the new residence. Expenses associated with kenneling of such pets are not reimbursable. | |
Gasoline for rental vehicle | Yes | ||
Household Goods | Yes | Packing, crating, unpacking, uncrating, and transporting of household goods & personal effects from former primary residence to the new primary residence. Limited to one household move per appointee. | |
Insurance | Yes | Cost of insurance for household goods while in process of being transported to new residence, if incurred within any 30-day period after removal of the household goods and effects from the former primary residence. | |
Lodging - old residence to new residence | Yes | Lodging expenses incurred while in the general location of the old residence "within one day" after it is no longer suitable for occupancy, and while en route from the old residence to the new residence including the day of arrival at the new residence. Lodging cap - $275 nightly room rate excluding taxes. |
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Meal expenses - old residence to new residence | Yes | Meals expenses incurred in traveling/moving from old residence to the new residence. Actual meal and incidental costs are not to exceed G-28 Travel Regulations daily travel meal cap. | |
Motor Vehicles | Yes | Up to two personal motor vehicles (motorcycles included) per household; but not motorized recreational vehicles, boats, kayaks, canoes, airplanes, camping vehicles, snow machines, jet skis, etc. | |
Movers - Hired & Paid by Employee | Yes | ||
Movers - Hired by Employee but Paid by University Directly to movers | Yes |
Expenses directly paid to movers by the University are taxable to the employee and applicable
payroll taxes will be deducted from the employee’s paycheck
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Moving Van Rental | Yes | Reimbursement based on mileage is not allowed. | |
Parking & Tolls | Yes | ||
Personal Car Mileage | Yes | Mileage rate for moving and relocation differs from "University Business Travel". Refer to G-28 Travel Regulations for latest reimbursement mileage rate. Mileage rate includes the cost of gas and wear and tear on the personal vehicle. | |
Rental Vehicle | Yes | In addition to the rental fees, actual expenses, such as gas, parking fees, and tolls are considered taxable. There is no mileage rate reimbursement for rental vehicles | |
Storage - First 30 days | Yes | Temporary storage of household goods and personal effects while in process of being transported from old residence to the new residence. Maximum storage costs of 30 days if employee is unable to move directly into the new residence. | |
Temporary Living at New Job Location (after day of arrival) | Lodging | Yes | Up to 30 days furnished temporary lodging, including residential parking fees. |
Meals | Yes | Up to 30 days of residence in temporary lodging:
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Parking Fee/Permit for Container Drop-off | Yes | ||
Other Relocation Expenses | Loss on the sale of a home | No | |
Sale of Former Primary Residence Costs | Yes | The sale of the residence must occur within 12 months of the appointee's start date. The amount of reimbursement will depend on prevailing practices within the area of the sale. Actual and reasonable selling costs include:
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Settlement of Unexpired Lease (Former Primary Residence) | Yes | If appointee must settle leave to relocate to the new assignment, actual and reasonable costs include:
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Any part of the purchase price of a new home. | No | ||
Costs Associated with Purchase of New Primary Residence | No | ||
Income Taxes/Real Estate Taxes/Property Taxes, and assessments associated with purchase or sale of primary residence | No | ||
Cost of physical improvements intended to enhance salability by improving the condition or appearance of the residence | No | ||
Storage > 30 days | No | Generally, storage costs > 30 days are not reimbursable. | |
Third-Party Expenses | Yes | Expenses directly paid to third-parties by the University are taxable to the employee and applicable payroll taxes will be deducted from the employee’s paycheck. | |
Other Non-Reimbursable Expenses | No |
Refer to G-13, Policy and Regulations Governing Moving and Relocation for more details on non-reimbursable expenses. Examples of non-reimbursable expenses include (but not limited to):
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Be sure to review and understand all applicable policies for your appointment type before contracting with any suppliers.
Obtaining Prior Approvals
Prior approval is required for expenses that will exceed the policy threshold. Obtain exceptional approval prior to incurring expenses and provide evidence of exceptional approval with the Travel Expense Voucher (TEV).
Contracting with Suppliers
Departments may contract directly with suppliers to provide moving and relocation services. In these cases, the University pays the cost of transporting the household goods and personal effects of a new appointee or employee directly to a common carrier or household mover. Use the "Relocation/Household Moves" Form located in the "Forms for Specific Purchases" section of BearBuy. For more information about contracting directly with suppliers and BearBuy, see the Supply Chain Management website.
Submitting Relocation Expense Reimbursement Requests
Moving and relocation expense reimbursement requests are submitted using a Travel Expense Voucher (TEV). The TEV must be completed and submitted within 60 days after the expenses were paid or incurred. Reimbursements for all moving and relocation expenses made to employees or paid directly to third parties by UCSF are taxable. All official travel must be properly authorized, reported and reimbursed in accordance with UC Policy.
- The expenses must be listed in detail, supported by original receipts or equivalent electronic receipts that contain the same level of detail as an acceptable paper receipt, and approved by the employee’s department head or other authorized official. Some expenses require receipts; these expenses will not be reimbursed without receipts.
- Include the name of any third-party paid directly by the University on the TEV form and indicate this was a third-party payment. Attach supporting documentation such as the invoice
- Provide additional information to explain any unclear requests for reimbursement. Any expenses incurred under a name other than the employee's must have an explanation of the relationship to the employee.
- Add the position of the new hire, (e.g., Academic or SMG) to the "Purpose of the Trip" box.
The TEV must be approved by an Authorized Approver with a current Signature Authorization. TEV Approvers should check to ensure expense reimbursements were not previously reimbursed and that all expenses are allowable. Approvers should verify that receipts required by G-28 Travel Regulations are attached:
- All airline, rental car, and lodging expenses with all charges itemized (e.g., taxes, telephone, etc.)
- Third-party payments made directly by the University
- Meal, local transportation, and miscellaneous expenses costing $75 or more
- Gifts provided to a host costing $25 or more
Accounts Payable Review and Employee Reimbursement
Accounts Payable (AP) will review the completed Travel Expense Voucher and determine which relocation reimbursements are allowable.
- Accounts Payable reports all allowable relocation expenses (considered imputed income) to Payroll. Payroll will include the reimbursement and deduct applicable payroll taxes (e.g., income tax and other statutory deductions) on the employee's paycheck, and include the taxable reimbursement in the annual reporting of imputed income and taxes on the employee's annual W-2.
Contacts
Moving and relocation practices vary between the Campus and Medical Center. If you have questions about moving and relocation, contact:
- Campus: Please submit a ticket to the SCM Response Team.
- Medical Center: Doris Lin