1. Policy

   The University may pay the moving and relocation expenses of new faculty and staff members who are employed in difficult to recruit occupations and those who are transferred from one University geographic location to another.

2. Regulations

   Approval of the administrative head of the employing department and the dean or director are required prior to making commitments to pay moving and relocation expenses. Other approvals may be required when appointees are to be paid from funds other than General Funds (see section II, G.). For faculty members, exceptions to the moving expense policy as it appears here require the concurrence of the dean or director. For staff members, exceptions to the moving and relocation policy as it appears here require the concurrence of the vice president of the unit in which the staff member will be employed, after the approval of the dean or director has been obtained.

   1. Moving expenses are the costs of packing, shipping, and storing household goods.
   2. Relocation expenses are the costs of: travel for the faculty or staff member and family enroute to the position assigned, including transportation, food, and lodging; travel for trips necessary to secure living quarters; and temporary lodging or transportation to and from the designated work site when the appointment date precedes the date when permanent living quarters are available.

   3. The University may reimburse the new faculty or staff member for moving and relocation expenses not to exceed one-twelfth of the new person’s annual salary rate or one-ninth of a University-year salary rate (or one eighth of a U-Yr-D salary rate for employees on the Dearborn Campus). Expenses for travel and the movement of household goods from points outside the continental United States and Canada may require an exception to the one-twelfth or one-ninth rules.

      Individual schools and colleges are free to establish maximums lower than those stated here. Before making a commitment to pay moving and relocation expenses, the appointing department should find out if a lower maximum applies.

   4. Expenses for travel by automobile within the continental United States and Canada may be included in II, C. at not more than the current approved rate (see SPG 507.10, Travel and Business Hosting Policy). A portion of the mileage paid will be considered taxable income to the new faculty/staff member. (See procedures link below).
   5. Advances based upon estimates of the cost of moving, up to the applicable maximum, can be arranged if requested by the new faculty or staff member. (Follow procedure B in the procedures link below.)
   6. For appointees whose salaries are to be paid wholly from funds other than General Funds, moving and relocation expenses should be paid from project direct funds whenever the terms of grant or contract will permit. If such charges are not permitted, the administrative unit with which the project is affiliated should be consulted regarding the availability of funds for moving and relocation expenses.
   7. Taxable expenses - All other relocation and moving expenses must be reimbursed as taxable income in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code and corresponding Treasury Regulations and will be reported on the faculty or staff member’s Form W-2. This includes any excess of mileage reimbursement over the Internal Revenue Service annual determination.

Procedures:http://hr.umich.edu/procedures/spg201-68.html