IMPORTANT NOTICE: Employees must
receive the information contained within this Policy as soon in the process as
possible. Failure to adhere to this
policy may result in long delays or rejection of claims during the
reimbursement portion of the process.
Executive
branch state employees who are reassigned at the direction of the
appointing authority shall be reimbursed for
relocation and related expenses in accordance with this policy. To the extent that relocation reimbursement
is addressed in a collective bargaining agreement, the provisions of the
agreement shall govern. If approved by
the appointing authority, an individual newly hired or promoted may
be reimbursed for relocation and related expenses at the same rate used for the
reimbursement of a current employee who has been reassigned. The appointing authority shall have the
discretion to decide the extent to which reimbursement is provided to newly
hired or promoted employees. Prior
written approval must be given by the Iowa Department of Administrative
Services (IDAS) to the appointing authority for relocation to or from outside the
continental United States. Upon
request of the appointing authority, exceptions to this policy may be made with
prior written approval of the Department of Administrative Services. Eligibility for reimbursement shall occur
when all of the following conditions exist:
·
The move is for
the primary benefit of the State;
·
A permanent
change in duty station is required; and
·
The individual
must change his or her place of personal residence beyond 25 miles. (For moves less than 25 miles, no relocation
expenses reimbursement will be allowed unless the Department of Administrative
Services has given prior written approval.)
An
employee may elect to relocate temporarily and remain eligible to relocate
permanently at any time thereafter for a period of up to twelve months from the
day before the employee is to report to the new duty station. Temporary living expenses requested for
reimbursement during such a “temporary relocation” shall be included as part of
the total amount reimbursable under this policy (up to 90-calendar days). Claims for reimbursement of temporary living
expenses shall be filed on the Temporary Living Expense Claim form. One member of the employee’s immediate
household may be eligible for limited temporary living expenses (see
“Subsistence expenses” for details).
Reimbursement
of relocation expenses will not occur prior to the time the employee is officially
on the payroll or the time the employee has an official change in duty station,
and will be made on the basis of IDAS rules and policies in effect at that
time. However, approval to incur
expenses and to submit claims for reimbursement may occur before the employee
is officially reassigned or placed on the payroll. Claims for reimbursement of relocation
expenses shall be filed on the Relocation Expense Claim form. Unless otherwise provided in this policy,
reimbursement amounts for meals, lodging and personal vehicle mileage will be
the same as for a state employee on state business.
Disputes
with regard to the application and interpretation of this policy, as well as
exceptions to this policy, shall be submitted to and resolved by the Director
of the Department of Administrative Services.
The resolution shall be put in writing and copies sent to the appointing
authority, the employee and the State Accounting Enterprise.