Household Moves

College of Engineering Specific Policies

Moving expenses may be offered as part of the offer of a permanent appointment; however, certain restrictions apply, and units should be familiar with the College's moving expenses policies.

Washington state regulations allow institutions to pay certain associated costs involved in the relocation of new employees, including travel and per diem. However, the College of Engineering has only a limited amount of funds available for new faculty moving expenses. Unless outlined in the offer letter, the College, therefore, limits allowable expenses to those involved in moving the actual household. The College will not pay travel and per diem costs, even if the combined total of moving, travel, and per diem costs does not exceed $5,000. Departments may, if they desire and have funding available, pay for travel and per diem expenses from their own resources. Departments are responsible for the total costs of any move for any faculty (including Chairs) and professional staff.

Upon acceptance of an offer of permanent employment, the new faculty member should be referred to the web sites (which are listed in the offer letter) for College, University, and state moving expense policies.

Eligibility and Funding

The state of Washington, and thus the College of Engineering, allow up to 15,000 pounds of eligible household goods to be covered under their moving expense policies. The College will provide up to the $5,000 maximum of the allowable costs of moving the household only. Once the move has been completed and audited by Olympia, the employee will be billed for any costs disallowed by state contract or state law, or in the case of a self-move will not be reimbursed.

These non-covered/non-reimbursable costs include:

1. the cost of shipping any ineligible items,
2. the cost of shipping weight in excess of 15,000 pounds (even if the total bill is less than $5,000),
3. costs in excess of the $5,000 maximum (even if the weight does not exceed 15,000 pounds).

Types of Moves

The employee has various options for moving. They include using state-contracted movers, hiring one's own moving company, or moving via rental vehicle. There are differences in how each of these moves are processed (see below).

The process for moving expenditures and reimbursements is rather lengthy. It is to the employee's and the department's advantage to get all the paperwork in to the appropriate office as soon as possible. This information is intended only as reference; more detail is available in the state's Moving Expense Regulations and Guide (DOC).

State-contracted moves

1. The department sends the employee the web sites for state, University, and College moving expense policies. The University web site contains UW form A33 which must be completed by the employee and returned to the department.
2. The department submits the signed Form A33 to the HR manager in the Dean's Office with the complete appointment packet (minus payroll documents) for processing.
3. Form A33 is sent to Academic Human Resources along with the appointment packet for processing. Keep in mind that Academic Human Resources cannot forward Form A33 to Purchasing until they have received approval from the Affirmative Action Office on the appointment (this can take up to two weeks).
4. Form A33 is forwarded to Purchasing for processing.
5. Form A33 is then forwarded to Olympia. Once Olympia receives the form, they will contact the booking agent (currently Allied Van Lines).
6. Allied Van Lines will contact their affiliate in the employee's hometown.
7. Allied Van Lines' affiliate will contact the employee and give the employee an estimate on the cost of the move.
8. If the estimate is accepted and a contract is signed, the move can then take place.
9. Once the move has taken place, the moving company will bill Olympia directly. Upon departmental request and a fee of $90/hour, Olympia will audit the bill, checking for anything that is not allowed under state law or is over the statutory weight limit. This audit may take up to one week to complete.
10. The bill is then sent to Purchasing with the total amount due by the University.

These words of advice will help the process go smoothly:

• Do not wait until the last minute to send the employee the web sites with moving information.
• Remind the employee to return Form A33 as soon as possible.
• Submit the appointment packet and Form A33 at the earliest possible time to start the process.
• It is extremely important to get all the documentation in early, since moving companies are sometimes booked solid during June, July, August, and September.

Hiring a non-state contracted mover (self-move)

1. Follow steps 1-4 above.
2. If contracts are less than $8,000.00, no estimates are needed. For contracts $8,000.00 or more, the employee must get a minimum of three estimates from moving companies. The lowest bid must be used unless there is a valid written explanation as to why it was not (could not fit employee's time schedule, etc.).
3. Employee is responsible for the bill and must pay the moving company and wait for reimbursement.
4. To receive reimbursement, the employee must submit to the department the original of all the receipts, other estimates received, and proof of payment for the move.
5. Department submits the original and one copy of the receipts, estimates, proof of payment, along with a University of Washington Invoice Voucher, to Tom Sparks in the Dean's Office for a signature on the voucher. He will then forward all of the paperwork to Purchasing for processing. If the department is paying for the move, a purchase order must be set up, with an invoice voucher to be signed in the department, and sent, with all receipts, directly to Purchasing.
6. If needed, the receipts, Form A33, and the estimates are sent to Olympia for auditing, at a fee of $90 per hour. Olympia will only authorize up to the amount of the cost of a state-contracted move from the same location and will not authorize reimbursement for any items disallowed under state law or over the 15,000 pound limit.
7. The final authorized total is sent back to Purchasing for processing of the reimbursement.

Using rental equipment (self-move)

1. Follow steps 1-4 of a state-contracted move.
2. If contracts are less than $8,000.00, no estimates are needed. For contracts $8,000.00 or more, the employee must secure a minimum of three bids and use the lowest bid unless there is a valid written explanation as to why it was not used. Employees are allowed to utilize two vehicles (note that a trailer is considered a vehicle). The state will not reimburse for a rental trailer towed behind a rental truck for the purpose of transporting a vehicle nor for a towing device for towing a vehicle.
3. The employee is responsible for all bills and must pay the rental agency and any other charges incurred and wait for reimbursement.
4. Employees need to save all of their receipts including rental vehicle fees, fuel, packing material, equipment rental, toll bridge/road fees, and labor fees for packing, loading, and unloading (note that labor rates are subject to current Office of State Procurement contracted rates and vary by location).
5. To receive reimbursement, the employee must submit to the department all of the receipts, other estimates received, and proof of payment for the move.
6. Department submits the original and one copy of the receipts, estimates, proof of payment, along with a University of Washington Invoice Voucher, to Tom Sparks in the Dean's Office for a signature on the voucher. He will then forward all of the paperwork to Purchasing for processing. If the department is paying for the move, a purchase order must be set up, with an invoice voucher to be signed in the department, and sent, with all receipts, directly to Purchasing.
7. If needed, the receipts, Form A33, and the estimates are sent to Olympia for auditing, at a fee of $90 per hour. Olympia will only authorize up to the amount of the cost of a state-contracted move from the same location and will not authorize reimbursement for any items disallowed under state law or over the 15,000 pound limit.
8. The final authorized total is sent back to Purchasing for processing of the reimbursement.

A33 form (Request for Moving Expenses) Use this UW form to request moving expenses; do not use the form found on the state Web site.