Moving Expense Policy

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The following policy guidelines are applicable to new employee offered a position in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). Federal legislation that , resulted in payments made by the employer for employee related moving/relocation expenses to be considered taxable income to the employee.

Criteria to Determine Eligibility for Moving Funds for New A&S Employees

  • The distance test is used to determine minimum eligibility, which is the distance from your old home to your new work location must be 50 miles greater than the distance from your old home to old work location.
  • Minimum length of appointment is one (1) academic year.
  • Minimum appointment is 75% (.75 FTE).
  • 鈥淢oving expenses鈥 include any expenses for moving and pre-move house hunting.
  • All moving expense payments made by the university to the employee and/or to a moving company are considered taxable income to the employee.
  • The university payroll system (HCM) will be used to manage all payments and tax reporting associated with employee moving expenses.
  • Payments to employees will occur after their start date and after their position is fully active in the university payroll system.
  • Pre-payments are not available 鈥 no payments are made to the new employee prior to their start date.
  • All move related payment commitments made to an employee must be included in the employee offer letter.
  • All payments must occur within one year of the employees start date.
  • The A&S Financial Service Center (FSC) will manage the process for all A&S employee move related payments.

Policy

A&S Tenured and Tenure Track (TTT) Faculty Positions

  • A moving allowance (set amount) will be offered by the college to eligible TTT faculty hires.
  • If necessary, departments may augment the college amount with department funds.
  • The total moving allowance must be included in the offer letter.
  • Moving funds are considered separate from startup funds and will not be transferred to the faculty startup speedtype. The college portion of moving funds for TTT faculty will be maintained by the college.
  • Departments that augment the college amount of moving funds for TTT faculty should retain those funds within the department and provide the department speedtype(s) to the FSC when they submit the request for payment (see Payment Process).
 

Other A&S Positions (non-TTT)

  • When the criteria above is met, departments have the discretion to provide moving funds when determined in the best interest of the department and in accordance policy guidelines.  
  • College funds are not provided for non-TTT positions.
  • The college will manage the payment process (see Payment Process).

The Payment Process

The FSC will manage the moving expense payment process for all A&S employees in accordance with university policy and the terms in the offer letter. Departments should submit moving expense payment requests via email to Leisa Hesebeck in the FSC at leisa.hesebeck@colorado.edu. The following processes should be followed:

For TTT Faculty

Submit the following after the employee鈥檚 start date and after they have an active payroll appointment in HCM:

  • A copy of the offer letter.
  • Request payment of the moving allowance (set amount) specified in the offer letter.
  • If the department committed moving funds in addition to the college amount, provide the department speedtype(s) that will be used for payment of the department amount.
  • The FSC will verify and process the payment in accordance with the offer letter.

For Other Positions (non-TTT)

Submit the following after the employee鈥檚 start date and after they have an active payroll appointment in HCM:

  • A copy of the offer letter.
  • Provide the department speedtype(s) that should be used for payment of the moving allowance and/or reimbursement of moving expenses.
  • Request one of the following payment processes, or combination as appropriate:
    • Request the moving allowance (set amount) be paid to the employee.
    • Submit itemized receipts for the reimbursement of eligible out-of-pocket expenses.
  • If direct payment to a moving company is made by the department in addition to requesting one of the above payment processes (payment of moving allowance and/or reimbursement), submit a copy of the PO or P-card documentation to the FSC along with a completed .
  • The FSC will assure total move related payments for the new hire are in accordance with the terms in the offer letter.
  • Email a completed along with the PO or P-card documentation to the FSC if the direct payment to the vendor is the only payment method. The FSC will process the employees鈥 tax liability in HCM CU time as required. The department is responsible to assure the payment is in accordance with the terms of the offer letter and campus policy.

The FSC will:

  • Assure the total payment to the employee is in compliance with the offer letter.
  • Review submitted requests and create Additional Payment Form (APF) and route for required approvals through DocuSign.
  • Process APF in HCM (payroll) system from signed APF.
  • Track HCM batch for approval and mark for off-cycle payment if appropriate.
  • Contact the department as needed to assure payments are processed in a timely manner and in compliance with policy.

If you have questions about the College of Arts and Sciences' process, please contact Leisa Hesebeck at leisa.hesebeck@colorado.edu.

General University information regarding employee moving expenses is found on the University of Colorado system's and webpages.