December 1, 2020
The National Joint Council (NJC) is pleased to announce that the consultations led by the Relocation Committee have resulted in a new version of the NJC Relocation Directive. The Committee is composed of representatives from the Federal Public Service Bargaining Agents, the Employer and departments/agencies.
The provisions of the NJC Relocation Directive form part of the collective agreements of the participating parties under the By-Laws of the National Joint Council.
The Executive Committee wishes to thank all members of the Relocation Committee for their effort and commitment in this important review.
Implementation Date
The new version of the NJC Relocation Directive is effective January 1st, 2021.
Information
The full text of the Directive is available on the NJC website: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/d6/v279/en.
Highlights of the changes are presented below.
Questions and Answers are available in the "Communiqués" section of the NJC website: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/communique/id/754/en.
It is important to note that many changes were made throughout the Directive to provide greater clarity regarding the relocation process and enhance usability for employees and administrators. It should also be noted that the Directive‘s numbering system and format was restructured to align with the common look and feel of other NJC Directives.
Enquiries
Employees should address any questions to their Designated Departmental Relocation Coordinators (https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ap/list-liste/dnc-cmn-eng.asp) or their bargaining agent.
Highlights of Changes
Throughout the Directive
- References to the Travel Directive were added to clarify reimbursable expenses when, during the relocation process, an employee is deemed to be on travel status.
- References to the Integrated Relocation Program Rates/Fees (IRP Rates/Fees) were replaced with Third-party service provider rates and fees.
- Repetitive provisions were deleted and/or consolidated. For example, the one-year time limit to relocate was previously outlined in the Administration section, the Sale section and Purchase section. It now only appears under the appropriate heading of Time Limits.
- Funding envelopes were simplified to group the Core and Customized Funds under one envelope and the Personalized Fund under another.
- Entitlements identified under the Personalized Fund have been deleted where practical as it is understood that any relocation related expenses above and beyond the Core Fund can be covered by the Personalized Fund. Any unused funds in the Personalized Fund are paid out at the end of the relocation process.
Definitions
- Outdated and inconsistent definitions were removed (i.e. ATM charges, IRP Rates/Fees).
- Accommodation – All pre-existing types of accommodation (i.e. Commercial, Crown-owned, Interim, Self-contained, Temporary) were simply grouped and fall under this definition.
- Actively Marketed – This definition was added which encompasses elements from the Q&A co-developed in 2014.
- Door-to-door – This definition was added to emphasize the importance of moving from a principal residence at origin to a new principal residence at destination with minimal need for interim measures.
- Exceptional Circumstances – This definition was added and makes reference to rare and unforeseeable circumstances. Examples of exceptional circumstances are further explained through the Q&As (https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/communique/id/754/en).
- Mortgage – This definition was added and should provide some clarity around the application of the different mortgage instruments now available.
- Relocation – This definition was clarified to include the notion of moving one’s principal residence from the old place of duty to the new place of duty. It further stipulates that an employee must relocate to a new principal residence to be eligible for the reimbursement of relocation expenses.
- Workplace / Place of Duty – This definition was added which encompasses the previous definitions of Permanent/Regular Workplace and Place of Duty. Workplace is referenced throughout the Directive.
Part I – Integrated Relocation Program
- This title was renamed National Joint Council Relocation Directive to distinguish this directive from that of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
- Requests and circumstances currently requiring Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS)/Program Authority approval have now been sub-delegated to Deputy Heads and/or delegated departmental authorities. This includes extensions to the relocation period as well as post-authorization of relocation expenses.
Application
- This section was reorganized and simplified.
- References to the RCMP and CAF were removed as these departments have their own relocation programs.
- Application of the Directive to various types of employment situations was clarified (i.e. Term-assignment, part-time employee, priority, etc.) and expanded to include employer-specific priority status policies.
Part II – Administration
Authorization
- Part II – Authorization was rewritten to highlight the appropriate sequence of events and what actions need to occur before an employee can start incurring relocation expenses.
- In order to reduce the amount of short notice moves and the administrative burdens these situations cause, departments are asked to authorize relocations at least 30 days in advance. Shorter periods are still permissible but will require authorization by the Deputy Head or the delegated departmental authority.
Responsibilities
- Roles and responsibilities of Employers, Employees and the Contracted Relocation Service Provider (CRSP) were clarified and refined.
- The requirement that an employee declare when they are in the process of dissolving a marriage or a spousal union (formerly 13.3) has been moved to the section on Employee Responsibilities. This was considered important as changes of this nature affect employees’ entitlements. Further clarification is provided in the Q&As (https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/communique/id/754/en).
Spousal Relocation
- Provisions related to employee-couples who relocate to the same destination but at different times have been expanded to allow separate relocation packages in situations where the relocations are more than one year apart.
- Provisions were added to stipulate that when a spouse or common-law partner, who is not a Federal Government employee, receives relocation benefits from their employer; the employee will be required to choose between this relocation package or that of their spouse within 15 days of being registered with the CRSP and before any relocation expenses are incurred.
Cancellation of Relocation
- A new section was added outlining the situations when an employee may cancel their relocation.
Time Limits
- The authority to extend the one (1) year time limit was sub-delegated from the TBS Program Authority to the Departmental National Coordinator (DNC), who, based on exceptional circumstances, can approve an extension of up to three (3) months.
Part III – Relocation Entitlements
Funding Envelopes
- Funding envelopes were simplified to group the Core and Customized Funds under one envelope and the Personalized Fund under another.
Incentives
- The incentive for reducing long term storage was removed as the intent of the incentive was no longer being met.
- Provisions related to the Real Estate Commission Savings were clarified to indicate that subsequent appraisals do not extend the 15 day time limit to elect not to sell.
- The incentive for Transportation of Household Goods Below the Threshold was retitled and clarified to explain that the incentive only applies when final shipment is below the CRS pre-move estimate weight.
Part IV – House Hunting Trip (HHT)
Authorization/Business Travel
- 2 Authorization/Business Travel and 4.5 Travel Status were consolidated and are now titled 4.2 Travel Status.
Hotel/Motel Occupancy Principles
- Family size of 2 is now limited to 1 room instead of 1 or 2 room(s).
Part V - Interim Accommodation, Meals and Miscellaneous Relocation Allowance (IAM&MA)
Principles and Authorization
- IAM&MA expenses were clarified to indicate that reimbursement is normally for “consecutive” days.
- A section was added to explain the relationship between IAM&MA and Temporary Dual Residence Assistance (TDRA) and how they should be applied in situations when the employee is responsible for two residences.
Additional 15 days
- Clarification was added regarding the approval of up to an initial 15 days by the CRSP and up to an additional 15 days of IAM&MA by the DNC.
Part VI – Travel to a New Location
Transportation
- Clarification was added that departments are responsible for air travel arrangements, not the CRSP.
- Reimbursement of expenses in accordance with the NJC Travel Directive was added to specifically cover, among other things, the cost of checked baggage which some airlines are charging now.
Part VIII – Sale of a Home
10% Home Sale Assistance
- Home Sale Assistance (HSA) was removed and replaced with a revised Home Equity Assistance which expands benefits for those who sold their home at a loss. The old Home Equity Assistance benefit, formerly section 8.20, was deleted.
Temporary Dual Residence Assistance (TDRA)
- The intent of this section was rewritten to better outline the four family situations when TDRA applies and clarification was added that employees can change from one situation to another but cannot exceed the 180 consecutive days allotted.
Commuting Assistance
- Language was added to clarify that commuting assistance can be provided in lieu of TDRA.
Return Trip to Effect Move
- This provision was amended to specify that employees subject to short notice moves who are also under TDRA or IAM&MA may return to their former place of duty to assist and finalize the shipment of their household goods and effects (HG&E).
Income Property
- Provisions concerning income-producing properties were clarified to indicate that the amount of reimbursement is based on the portion of the residence solely used by the employee on the day the relocation is authorized.
Part IX – Purchase of Replacement Residence
New Home Construction
- Language was added to clarify that the decision to have a property built is a personal decision and that it is not an exceptional circumstance which could warrant an extension to the one-year relocation period.
Part XI – Shipment of Household Goods and Effects
Purpose
- Language was added to specify that shipment of HG&E cannot be done in two separate trips. Shipment is from the principal residence to one single location. For example, it cannot be a two-step process to ship HG&E into storage and then to the permanent accommodation. Should the employee opt to move their HG&E into storage, the move is considered complete and it will be the employee’s responsibility to move it to the eventual new residence.
Sundry Accountable Incidental Relocation Expenses
- Language regarding payment of local licenses has been limited to only reimburse the basic automobile and driver’s licenses for the minimum period required by law.
Partial Shipping/Storage
- Language was added to specify that the approval of the placement of a portion of an employee’s effects in storage is made by the Departmental National Coordinator.
Basic Insurance Coverage
- The precise dollar amount ($100,000) for insurance coverage was removed and reference has been added to Replacement Cost Insurance as provided for in the HGRS Contract, which is actually based on a dollar per pound calculation.
Part XII – Employee-requested Relocation
Employee-requested Relocation
- This section was rewritten and reorganized to better clarify that the intent of these types of relocations is to recognize that employees may have personal or compassionate reasons to relocate.
- Certification will no longer emphasize normal staffing actions, but rather meeting the employees’ personal or compassionate needs.
- Provisions have been expanded to allow for the use of non-CRS movers.
Part XIII – Other Types of Relocation within Canada
- This section was reduced significantly as many of the provisions have been moved or are repeated elsewhere in the Directive.
Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive (IPGHD)
- This section was renamed to “Moving to/from an Isolated Post” and reference was made to the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive which takes precedence over this Directive in these situations.
Unaccompanied Moves within Canada
- The section regarding unaccompanied moves was simplified to state that these employees may opt to receive the Real Estate Commission Savings Incentive.
Employees on Assignment for more than one year
- New language was added to caution departments and employees when contemplating permanent relocations following an assignment at a new workplace, such that no further relocation benefits will be provided if the assignment is extended or becomes permanent as the employee will have already relocated and his principal residence would be deemed to be at the new workplace.
Appendix A
Appendix A was deleted as Home Sale Assistance (HSA) was replaced with a revised Home Equity Assistance (section 8.2).
Appendix B
The former Appendix B has been deleted and replaced with Appendices B, C and D which all contain funding formulas.