Relocation Guide for Hiring Department

The following outlines the process for obtaining relocation assistance for eligible faculty members and senior management staff:

1) The Hiring Department negotiates terms of relocation assistance with Designated Professional (new faculty member or senior management staff), using the Central Relocation Fund Contribution Table, Policy #82 Relocation of Faculty Members and Senior Management Staff and Policy #83 Travel and Related Expenses as guidelines. If there are any questions regarding the limits and the expenses reimbursable, please follow up with Joyce Wei, Relocation Administrator of Human Resources in advance of incurring expenses.

For other assistance with the transitioning of the Designated Professional and family, please visit the Work-Life and Relocation Services Centre.

2) The Hiring Department will inform Designated Professional of terms for relocation assistance in Letter of Offer. For your convenience, sample offer letters are available. If the Designated Professional is not a Canadian citizen or a non-resident, please review immigration information here.

3) The Hiring Department Administrator will complete the Department Contact information of the UBC Contact and Information Sheet, and pass on the form to the Designated Professional. The Designated Professional will complete the rest of the Form to provide to the Relocation Coordinator under step 4.

4) The Designated Professional will contact one of the Relocation Coordinators of the designated relocation and moving vendor, Quality Move Management (QMM) and submit the completed UBC Contact Information Form. QMM must be used in order to be eligible for reimbursement from Central Relocation Fund as stated in the policy.

If travel arrangements are required, more information may be found at the Travel at UBC website. North South Travel & Tours can assist UBC faculty and staff with their travel arrangements. Contact information may be found here.

5) The QMM Relocation Coordinator will contact the Designated Professional to go over preliminary questions and arrange for a survey.

6) QMM will perform the survey of the household good and personal effects to be moved.

7) QMM will create an estimated quote and send it to the Designated Professional and the Department Administrator.

8) The Department Administrator may authorize the estimated quote by setting up a Purchase Order through Supply Management as instructed here.

The Department Administrator will submit a Purchase Requisition form (see sample), which may be acquired from Supply Management, along with the quote from QMM, and any other documentation to support the quote (i.e. email correspondence) to Supply Management in order to process a Purchase Order for the relocation expenses. It is recommended that Departments commit to an amount above the estimated quote as the final invoice may end up being slightly higher than the quote.

Supply Management will send the Purchase Order number to the Designated Professional, the Department Administrator and the QMM Relocation Coordinator.

As changes arise from the move, the QMM Relocation Coordinator may send revised quotes to the Designated Professional and the Department Administrator for approval. Once the revised quote is approved, the Department Administrator will complete the Relocation Change Request to Active Purchase Order form and email the form and a copy of the revised quote to Supply Management to modify the Purchase Order.

9) QMM performs the relocation and will send a final invoice to the Department Administrator for payment. If a Purchase Order was set up, the final invoice must include the Purchase Order number.

10) The Department Administrator will process payment of the final invoice by forwarding the final invoice to Financial Services Accounts Payable for processing the payment to QMM. To authorize payment, please indicate on the invoice the following:

• “Approved (or OK) to pay”.
• The name of the person authorizing payment on behalf of the department.
• The signature of the authorizer.

This indicates to Accounts Payable that:

• The services were completed as agreed to.
• The services rendered and any insurance valuation protection purchased agrees with what was invoiced and that it does not exceed the total detailed on the Purchase Order (PO).

This invoice will be paid from the Purchase Order that has been set up with Supply Management.

11) For other relocation expenses, Departments will reimburse the Designated Professional, or pay for all eligible relocation expenses up front, via Requisition for Payments or Travel Requisitions. These expenses should be charged to account code 634000 (Relocation and Moving). Original receipts and invoices should be submitted along with these forms.

Relocation expenses that are considered taxable benefits, such as customs and immigration expenses, should be charged to account code 634001 (Relocation – Taxable Benefit). For facilitation of processing these benefits, please ask the Designated Professional to pay for any third-party vendors, i.e. lawyers, up front. The Hiring Department will reimburse the Designated Professional for these expenses out of the department’s budget.

12) To claim reimbursement from the Central Relocation Fund, Departments must submit an original Relocation Reimbursement Claim Form and a copy of the General Ledger, along with original invoices and receipts to Financial Services. If the original invoices and receipts have already been used for reimbursement to the Designated Professional first, then back up copies of the expenses may be submitted.

13) If any relocation expenses incurred are above the negotiated relocation allowance, the Department will be reimbursed by the Designated Professional for that amount.

14) If the Designated Professional voluntarily leaves the University before 24-month period, the Designated Professional will reimburse the University for the Central Relocation Funds on a pro-rated basis as per the policy. The Department is responsible for calculating and collecting the reimbursement on behalf of the University.