Guideline: Relocation assistance for new staff

Purpose

To set out provisions for travel and removal expenses for new ANU staff.

Definitions

Home Location - unless otherwise specified by the approving authority, the home location of the appointee is the address to which the letter of offer of appointment is sent.

Dependants - dependants who are relocating with the appointee are covered by the terms of this guideline. Dependants include children under 18 years of age and children and other relatives 18 years or over who are wholly or substantially reliant on the appointee for financial support and basic needs. Persons over 18 must also show that they have been reliant on the appointee for a substantial period and that they are more reliant on the appointee than on any other person or source. A person may also be considered a dependant if he/she relies on the appointee for financial support because of a disability.

Personal effects - the relocation assistance for relocations covers expenses relating to the relocation of the appointee, and their dependants. This includes, but is not limited to airfares, transition accommodation, rental bonds, removal of goods, the cost of buying or selling property, and transporting vehicles or pets. It is the responsibility of the appointee to ensure that carriage of personal effects complies with Australian customs and quarantine laws.

Guideline

1. The Australian National University (ANU) is a university of international and national significance. It relies on recruiting staff of the highest calibre to advance its core activities. The University provides for travel and removal expenses, including insurance, for academic and professional staff recruited from all parts of Australia and from overseas. In some cases, where a post has been advertised only within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), payment of these expenses may not be available.

Travel costs

2. The University will pay economy class airfares by the cheapest and most direct route from the home location to Canberra, or other ANU location as determined in the advertised position. The University may also pay reasonable travel costs from the airport.
3. The method of payment of these expenses will normally be by reimbursement on production of receipts relating to travel costs. In some cases, payment may be made in advance.
4. Where an appointee and/or dependants elect to travel from their home location by means other than air, a travel grant of up to the equivalent of an economy class airfare, or vehicle mileage rate in Australia, whichever is the lesser, will be paid on production of receipts.

Relocation assistance

5. To support new staff who need to relocate to take up employment with the University, appointees will be provided up to two days’ time release to assist with their relocation arrangements. This may be utilised to assist with sourcing permanent accommodation at their new location, packing and unpacking of household effects, accompany dependent family members with their travel, or any other reasonable reason relating to the staff member’s relocation.
6. Time release is subject to appropriate notice and the operational requirements of the work area.
7. Further time release for staff who have relocated internationally may be provided on a case by case basis, as approved by the Chief People Officer (Director – Human Resources).
8. The level of relocation assistance payable for removal expenses, including insurance, varies according to the following categories of travel undertaken by the appointee and dependants. The delegate will set the amount to be granted, within the defined limits, on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration home location, appointee’s number of dependants, and the length of contract. The relevant amount will be set out in the offer letter. These grants may be used for all expenses relating to the relocation of the appointee and their dependants. Where expenses exceed the relevant maximum set by the University, the appointee must pay the extra expenses.

9. Where the delegate determines the appointee requires an increased offer of relocation assistance, a case will be made to the Chief People Officer (Director, Human Resources) for approval.
10. The appointee will provide competitive quotes for relocation, subject to approval.
11. Consideration should be given to approving items in relation to relocation, which are not exempt from Fringe Benefits Tax.

ARC and NHMRC grant holders

12. Relocation allowances are determined by the granting body and are set out in the relevant Conditions of Award document and will be reflected within the appointee’s letter of offer.

Medical expenses

13. Medical expenses essential to the position will be paid in full by ANU for the appointee only. Reimbursement will occur on the production of receipts.

Visa expenses

14. The University pays the nomination fee, for employer nominated visas. Visa application fees will be borne by the appointee. The delegate may consider supporting the cost of the visa application fee, for strategic or continuing appointments.

Recovery of costs on termination of employment

15. Where a staff member resigns before completing three years' service or the agreed term of a fixed term appointment of less than three years, a pro rata refund of the cost of travel and removal expenses made upon appointment may be required.
16. Staff members returning to ANU under the Career Development Leave Program (CDLP) who received relocation allowances, may be required to make a pro rata repayment if they resign from ANU within a period equivalent to the length of their development leave, up to a maximum of three years.

Staging accommodation

17. Temporary staging accommodation following arrival in Canberra may be available through ANU Apartments, at the appointees cost, or within the limits of the supplied relocation grant. This service can be contacted on 02 6125 1100 or the ANU Apartments webpage.