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 their effects are being packed or unpacked, or at the new location while they are waiting to move into their own accommodation, either at the point of origin and/or at destination.
5.2 Responsibilities
5.2.1 Employees shall attempt to coordinate the move of Household Goods and Effects (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 arriving locations shall provide the Third Party Service Provider 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 household goods and effects; or 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 household goods and effects 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 limitations, employees will be reimbursed living expenses as follows:
5.4.1 Entitlements
|
Pack, Load and Clean |
|
|
Awaiting Household Goods and Effects and/or Accommodation |
|
|
Unload and Unpack |
|
5.4.2 Source of Funding
| Benefit | Core | Customized | Personalized |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Pack, Load and Clean Accommodation, Meals, and Daily Miscellaneous Allowance |
Employee and dependants |
Extended family |
|
|
Interim Accommodation Accommodation, Meals, and Daily Miscellaneous Allowance |
Employee and dependants first 15 days |
Extended family - first 15 days |
Employee, dependants and extended family up to 15 additional days |
|
Unload & Unpack Accommodation, Meals, and Daily Miscellaneous Allowance |
Employee and dependants |
Extended family |
5.5 Detailed Provisions and Procedure
5.5.1 The movement of an employee's Household Goods and Effects 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 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.
5.6.1 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 NJC Relocation - IRP Directive.
5.6.2 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; or
- the HG&E were not available for delivery to the new residence because of delays caused by the moving company; or
- 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.
5.6.3 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; or
- 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.
Awaiting occupancy of Crown-owned/leased (unless designated) or private accommodation (rented/purchased/under construction), is a personal decision. There will be no IAM&MA beyond 15 days.
5.6.4 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
- Permanent accommodation has not been obtained/occupied or suitable alternate accommodation is not available
Customized/Personalized Funds
- In excess of 15 days
5.7 Accommodation
- Employees will be reimbursed actual and reasonable commercial lodging expenses within the average range found in the PWGSC Accommodation Directory.
- 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.
- 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 section 4) shall apply - no luxury accommodation will be funded.
- Employees in private accommodation are entitled to an accommodation allowance of $50 per night from Core 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.
5.8 Meal Allowances
- The Travel Directive daily meal allowances will apply.
- The employee, spouse or common law partner, dependants and extended family are each entitled to a meal allowance as specified in the 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.
5.9 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 extended family.
- The allowance is calculated as:
- Employee: 12% of daily meal allowance (Travel Directive rate);
- Spouse or common law partner, dependants and extended family, each person: 6% of daily meal allowance.
5.10 Dependent Care
Dependent care expenses incurred during the packing, loading and unloading and unpacking of HG&E will be reimbursed in accordance with the Travel Directive as follows:
Core Fund
- actual and reasonable dependent care expenses up to a daily maximum of $35, per household, with a declaration; or
- up to a daily maximum of $75, per household, with a receipt;
- up to 2 days at origin and 2 days at destination.
Customized/Personalized Funds
- Any additional days that may have been authorized