Home » Directives » NJC Relocation Directive » January 1, 2021 » Part V - Interim Accommodation, Meals and Miscellaneous Relocation Allowance (IAM&MA)

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

5.1 Purpose

5.1.1 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:

  1. they are required to relocate on short notice;
  2. 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;
  3. their effects are being packed or unpacked; or
  4. 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 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 consecutive 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 consecutive period that the employees are awaiting the delivery of their HG&E.

5.4 Funding Overview

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

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 The source of funding for these expenses are as follows:

Benefit

Basic Core Fund

Core Customized Fund

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
Employee, dependants – up to 15 additional days

Other dependants- first 15 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 Core Customized/Personalized Funds.

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

5.6.1 When authorized pursuant to section 2.1, the Departmental National Coordinator shall approve up to 60 days interim accommodation for employees who:

  1. are required to relocate on short notice; or
  2. 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.

5.6.2 IAM&MA shall cease on the day the employee lists the principal residence, or moves HG&E, whichever occurs first. If the employee remains responsible for two residences, the provisions in section 8.13 take effect the day following the end of IAM&MA.

5.7 IAM&MA

5.7.1 The CRSP may approve up to 15 days IAM&MA when the employee is separated from their HG&E. These days are separate from IAM&MA provided during the packing, loading, unpacking and unloading of HG&E.

5.7.2 The Departmental National Coordinator may approve an additional 15 days of IAM&MA in the following situations:

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

5.7.3 Approval of the additional 15 days IAM&MA referred to in subsection 5.7.2 shall not be granted in the following situations:

  1. 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;
  2. when the household goods could have been delivered within the initial 15 days; or
  3. when awaiting occupancy of Crown-owned/leased (unless designated) or private accommodation (rented/purchased/under construction), is a personal decision.

5.8 Accommodation

5.8.1 Employees will be reimbursed actual and reasonable commercial lodging expenses within the city rate limit or average range (as applicable) found in the Accommodation and Car Rental Directive published by Public Services and Procurement Canada.

5.8.2 Employees entitled to two or more rooms may instead choose to occupy a suite. Such cost will be paid from the Basic Core Fund but the employee will not be eligible for the hotel-motel room reduction savings/incentive.

5.8.3 Accommodation expenses will be paid out of the Basic Core and Core Customized Funds as specified in the tables in subsections 5.4.1 and 5.4.2.

5.8.4 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.

5.8.5 Employees are expected to seek out and occupy self-contained accommodation on arrival at destination rather than the higher priced hotel-motel type accommodation.

5.8.6 The occupancy standards outlined in the HHT trip provisions (see Part IV) shall apply - no luxury accommodation will be funded.

5.8.7 Employees in private accommodation are entitled to an accommodation allowance of $50 per night from the Basic Core Fund payable per family/household for each night of occupancy.

5.8.8 No receipts are required.

5.8.9 Family occupying both commercial and private accommodation will be reimbursed only one amount - the commercial rate.

5.9 Meal Allowances

5.9.1 The NJC Travel Directive daily meal allowances will apply.

5.9.2 The employee, spouse or common-law partner, dependants are each entitled to a meal allowance as specified in the tables in subsections 5.4.1 and 5.4.2 (except for Isolated Posts – actual and reasonable expenses will be paid).

5.9.3 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.

5.9.4 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

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

5.10.2 This allowance is provided for up to 15 days only and is applicable for dependants.

5.10.3 The allowance is calculated as follows:

  1. Employee: 12% of daily meal allowance (NJC Travel Directive rate);
  2. Spouse or common law partner, dependants and extended family, each person: 6% of daily meal allowance.

5.11 Dependant Care

5.11.1 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:

Basic Core Fund

  1. actual and reasonable dependent care expenses up to a daily maximum of $35, per household, with a declaration; or
  2. up to a daily maximum of $75, per household, with a receipt; and
  3. up to 2 days at origin and 2 days at destination;

    Core Customized Fund
  4. any additional days that may have been authorized.
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