Part V - Interim Accommodation, Meals and Miscellaneous Relocation Allowance (IAM&MA)

5.1 Purpose

The payment of IAM&MA either at the point of origin and/or at destination is meant to reimburse employees for living costs incurred when they cannot occupy their own living accommodation because:

they are required to relocate on short notice;
they are already on duty at the new location (travel status ceases upon acceptance of letter of offer), and cannot vacate their property at origin and relocate their HG&E immediately upon acceptance of letter of offer;
their effects are being packed or unpacked; or
they are waiting to move into their own accommodation at the new location.

5.2 Responsibilities

5.2.1 Employees shall attempt to coordinate the move of HG&E as closely as possible with their reporting date/the disposal of their old residence, and the occupancy of their new residence in order to minimize the time spent in interim accommodation.

5.2.2 The Departmental National and/or Regional Coordinators of both the departing and receiving locations shall provide the CRSP with all relevant information to assist in the coordination of the employee's move and to minimize the time spent in interim accommodation.

5.2.3 Managers shall allow flexibility of reporting dates to enable the employee to coordinate relocation activities effectively and in the most cost-effective manner.

5.3 Principles and Authorization

5.3.1 Approval to occupy interim accommodation is not automatic nor is it an entitlement. Prior approval for IAM&MA must be obtained from the Departmental National Coordinator or his/her designate within the department/region.

5.3.2 IAM&MA expenses shall normally be reimbursed only for the period the employee remains necessarily separated from his/her HG&E; or when permanent accommodation has not been obtained/occupied and suitable alternate accommodation is not available.

5.3.3 Employees who must remain in interim accommodation as a result of delays in the delivery of their HG&E caused by the department or its contracted agents, will be reimbursed actual and reasonable expenses within prescribed limits for the entire period that the employees are awaiting the delivery of their HG&E.

5.4 Funding Overview

Within the prescribed limits, employees will be reimbursed living expenses as follows:

5.4.1 Entitlements

Short Notice/Change of Status	Up to 60 days interim accommodations at new destination
Pack, Load and Clean	Accommodation - up to 3 days Meals - up to 3 days (NJC Travel Directive rates) Miscellaneous Allowance - up to 3 days
Awaiting Household Goods and Effects and/or Accommodation	Accommodation - Up to 15 days excluding any pack/load and unload/unpack days paid Meals - Up to 15 days excluding any pack/load and unpack/unload days paid. (First 10 days full meal rates; 65% of meal rates for period beyond) Miscellaneous allowance - Up to 15 days 15 additional days (accommodation and meals) may be authorized by the Departmental National Coordinator - conditionally
Unload and Unpack	Accommodation - up to 2 days Meals - up to 2 days Miscellaneous allowance - up to 2 days

5.4.2 Source of Funding

Benefit	Core	Customized	Personalized
Short Notice / Change of Status	Employee
Pack, Load and Clean 3 days Accommodation, Meals, and Daily Miscellaneous Allowance	Employee, spouse or common-law partner, and children	Other dependants
Interim Accommodation Accommodation, Meals, and Daily Miscellaneous Allowance	Employee, spouse or common-law partner, and children - first 15 days	Other dependants- first 15 days	Employee, dependants - up to 15 additional days
Unload & Unpack 2 days Accommodation, Meals, and Daily Miscellaneous Allowance	Employee, spouse or common-law partner, and children	Other dependants

5.5 Detailed Provisions and Procedure

5.5.1 The movement of an employee's HG&E to the new location will not normally be authorized until the employee has found suitable permanent accommodation.

5.5.2 Meals are payable during the unpack day regardless of whether or not the professional mover or employee does the unpacking.

5.5.3 In cases where additional time may be required for example for cleaning or inspection of the accommodation, a maximum of 2 days of additional IAM&MA may be authorized at the beginning of the move by the Departmental National Coordinator through the receiving manager and reimbursed from the Customized/Personalized Funds.

5.6 60-day Interim Accommodation - Short Notice / Change of Status

The Departmental National Coordinator shall authorize up to 60 days interim accommodation for employees who:

are required to relocate on short notice; or
are already on duty at the new location and cannot vacate their property at origin and relocate their HG&E immediately upon acceptance of letter of offer.

5.7 Additional 15 days

The Departmental National Coordinator is responsible to authorize IAM&MA requests beyond the initial 15 days and not to exceed 30 days in total.

5.7.1 Each IAM&MA request beyond 15 days must be approved by the Departmental National Coordinator or Regional Relocation Coordinator as assigned by the department upon registration with the CRSP.

5.7.2 Approval of IAM&MA beyond the initial 15 days shall be authorized in the following situations:

a market where there is a limited selection of housing;
the HG&E were not available for delivery to the new residence because of delays caused by the moving company;
an employee was denied a change in reporting date when such a change could have resulted in a reduction of the 15 days IAM&MA; or
permanent accommodation has not been obtained/occupied or suitable alternate accommodation is not available.

5.7.3 Approval of IAM&MA beyond the initial 15 days shall not be authorized in the following situations:

when interim accommodation is the result of a decision to await occupancy of a certain type of permanent accommodation even though there is other suitable accommodation available;
when the household goods could have been delivered within the initial 15 days; or
when awaiting occupancy of Crown-owned/leased (unless designated) or private accommodation (rented/purchased/under construction), is a personal decision.

5.7.4 In exceptional circumstances, employees may be reimbursed lodging expenses for any days in excess of 15 days when:

the HG&E were not available for delivery to the new residence because of delays caused by the moving company;
permanent accommodation has not been obtained/occupied or suitable alternate accommodation is not available;

Core Fund

the employee remains separated from his/her HG&E for reasons beyond his/her control; or
permanent accommodation has not been obtained/occupied or suitable alternate accommodation is not available.

Customized/Personalized Funds

In excess of 15 days.

5.8 Accommodation

Employees will be reimbursed actual and reasonable commercial lodging expenses within the average range found in the PWGSC Accommodation Directory.
Employees entitled to two or more rooms may instead choose to occupy a suite. Such cost will be paid from the Core Fund but the employee will not be eligible for the hotel-motel room reduction savings/incentive.
Accommodation expenses will be paid out of the Core, Customized and Personalized Funds as specified in the tables 5.4.1 and 5.4.2.
An employee who uses less than his or her hotel room entitlement, based on family size, shall receive an incentive of $50.00 per night which will be transferred to the Personalized Fund.
Employees are expected to seek out and occupy self-contained accommodation on arrival at destination rather than the higher priced hotel-motel type accommodation.
The occupancy standards outlined in the HHT trip provisions (see Part IV) shall apply - no luxury accommodation will be funded.
Employees in private accommodation are entitled to an accommodation allowance of $50 per night from the Core Fund payable per family/household for each night of occupancy.
- No receipts are required.
- Family occupying both commercial and private accommodation will be reimbursed only one amount - the commercial rate.

5.9 Meal Allowances

The NJC Travel Directive daily meal allowances will apply.
The employee, spouse or common-law partner, dependants are each entitled to a meal allowance as specified in tables 5.4.1 and 5.4.2 (except for Isolated Posts - actual and reasonable expenses will be paid).
An employee is entitled to a meal allowance on the first and last day of IAM&MA regardless of when the movers arrive at the residence.
After the first 10 days of interim accommodation (excluding pack and unpack days), the meal rate will be reduced to 65% of the daily meal allowance.

5.10 Daily Miscellaneous Relocation Expense Allowance

Entitlement to the Daily Miscellaneous Relocation Expense Allowance is outlined in tables 5.4.1 and 5.4.2.

This allowance is provided for up to 15 days only.
Applicable for dependants.
The allowance is calculated as follows:
- Employee: 12% of daily meal allowance (NJC Travel Directive rate);
- Spouse or common law partner, dependants and extended family, each person: 6% of daily meal allowance.

5.11 Dependant Care

Dependant care expenses incurred during the packing, loading and unloading and unpacking of HG&E will be reimbursed in accordance with the NJC Travel Directive as follows: