7.1 Purpose
To enhance the employee's mobility by assisting in the vacating and/or leasing of rented principal residences.
7.2 Responsibilities
- Employees vacating rental accommodation should attempt to schedule their departure to avoid lease liability payments.
- Employees should seek rental accommodation which will be available at the time of their intended move, in order to reduce payment of rent in advance, or interim accommodation costs.
- Employees shall consult and/or discuss prospective terms of lease with their Relocation Consultant for professional clarification.
7.3 Funding Overview
The benefits outlined in this part are paid from the Core Fund and if need be, the Customized/Personalized Funds as follows:
| Benefit | Core | Customized/Personalized |
|---|---|---|
|
Rent or Lease Liability |
Up to three (3) months rent or in excess of three months as required by law |
|
|
Professional Cleaning of Residence |
Up to $100 (taxes included) |
Costs over Core |
|
Rent in Advance of Move (TDRA) |
2 months' rent |
Additional months |
|
Rental Agency Finding Fees |
Actual expenses at pre-negotiated corporate rates |
|
|
TDRA |
See section 7.8 |
7.4 Rent or Lease Liability
Employees who incur rent or lease liability in order to dispose of his/her rented accommodation will be reimbursed as follows:
Core Fund
- An amount up to the equivalent of three (3) months' rent; or
- Amounts required by law in excess of three (3) months' rent **.
** An alternative arrangement should be explored to determine if a less costly settlement could be arranged. All findings and approval must be directed to the Departmental National Coordinator.
Note:
The employee must consider all options that minimize the employer's costs such as sublet arrangements (with assistance from rental search firms if appropriate) or payment of mandatory penalties for early termination of a lease. The department will consider family circumstances before requesting the employee to terminate his or her lease.
TDRA will be provided in those instances where one or more dependants remain behind until completion of the regular school term.
7.5 Reimbursement for Property Damages
There is no entitlementto reimbursement for rent or lease liability that results from property damage by the employee.
Any damage resulting from a sub-let arrangement remains the employee's responsibility and will not be reimbursed.
7.6 Professional Cleaning of Former Residence
The employee may be reimbursed actual and reasonable expenses for the cost of professional cleaning of the former residence after the household effects have been loaded, and at the new residence before or after the unloading of furniture - maximum entitlement under the Core Fund is not to exceed $100 (taxes included) in total for cleaning as follows:
Core Fund
- Up to a maximum of $100 (inclusive of taxes).
Customized/Personalized Funds
- Expenses in excess of the Core Fund.
Note:
Receipt/proof of payment is required.
7.7 Rental Search Fees
- Employees are entitled to be reimbursed for the services of a Rental Search Agency (RSA) to find either:
- permanent rental accommodation; or
- TDRA.
- Assistance shall not exceed two (2) days, and is to be paid from the Core Fund.
- Employees will be reimbursed actual and reasonable expenses for services provided by professional rental firms up to the pre-negotiated corporate rates.
- Where established rates and services have not been negotiated, reimbursement will be up to an amount equivalent to the pre-negotiated corporate rates in similar locations.
- Where an employee uses the services of a RSA during the HHT phase to locate permanent rental accommodation and subsequently decides to purchase a residence instead, and has not moved in or signed a lease, the RSA fees will not be deducted from the purchasing costs.
- When the employee engages the services of a RSA and subsequently chooses to cancel the services and fails to notify the Rental Find Firm (7 days or more) prior to arrival, he/she will be personally responsible for any cancellation fee charges.
7.8 Temporary Dual Residence Allowance (TDRA)
- TDRA is provided when the employee, due to circumstances outside the employee's control, must temporarily maintain two residences.
Two situations which are covered by this provision:
1. When employees must lease accommodation before their arrival at the new place of duty, they shall be reimbursed up to the cost of two (2) months' rent out of the Core Fund, with the following conditions:
(a) Reimbursement shall be calculated from the first day of the lease at the new place of duty and cease on the date the employee vacates the former residence.
(b) Should the period of assistance exceed two (2) months, further assistance may be paid out of Customized/Personalized Funds.
(c) When an employee originally moved as a renter, then subsequently purchased a residence, and was reimbursed legal fees and other associated acquisition costs, the employee shall repay any financial assistance paid from the Core Fund under this provision.
(d) When this provision is used, interim accommodation shall be limited to the day following delivery of the employee's furniture and effects.
2. When one or more dependants of an employee remain at the former place of duty to complete an educational term (middle school, secondary school - current semester, college/university - current school year), or for some other justifiable reason the employee shall be given an allowance of $525/month to help defray the dependants' living costs.
The following conditions apply:
(a) Only one allowance shall be paid.
(b) This allowance is not payable if other TDRA allowances are being paid.
(c) Eligibility is for a maximum of 180 days or until the end of the school year.
7.9 Weekend Travel Home while on TDRA
Applicable to employees with dependants who remain in the family home.
This entitlement is based on the premise that the employee will make travel arrangements more than 14 days in advance.
When a door-to-door move is not possible, employees shall be entitled to travel home on weekends while on TDRA. The total number of weekend travel home trips shall not exceed:
- two (2) trips over the initial thirty (30) days of the TDRA; and
- four (4) trips over the initial sixty (60) days of the TDRA; and
- not to exceed five (5) trips of the period of the TDRA.
Payment of these transportation expenses comes from the Core Fund.
7.10 Legal Fees
For employees who rent accommodation at destination, legal fees incurred in approving the form and legality of a lease shall be reimbursed as an incidental expense under the Core Fund.