Moving Expense Policy

Reimbursement or direct payment of employee moving expenses will be made only when it becomes necessary in employment negotiations to attract highly qualified candidates to regular, full-time academic and administrative positions at Western Michigan University. In these cases, the following applies:

• Only new positions at the senior administrative office level and tenure track faculty are eligible.
• Moving expenses must be funded from within the hiring unit's resources.
• Approval from the president or designated executive officer is required prior to offering this benefit and on the actual reimbursement documents.
• The maximum amount allowable is up to the equivalent of one month's salary of the individual, based on actual receipts.
• Reimbursement/payment must be made via a properly authorized Travel Expense Voucher prepared by the hiring department. Actual receipts and/or invoices must be attached to the voucher.
• In rare and unusual cases, the President's Office may grant exceptions to this policy in specific and unusual cases.

Effective January 1, 2018 reimbursements will be subject to all applicable taxes in accordance with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Approved by the president 7/22/99; revised 08/21/07: revised 03/08/12 : revised 01/08/18.

MOVING EXPENSES ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT/PAYMENT

Only the reasonable costs of moving household goods and personal effects (including the expenses of packing and insurance) and the reasonable costs of transporting the employee and members of the employee's household (including lodging) from the old place of residence to the new place of residence are eligible for reimbursement/payment. Typical moving expenses normally eligible for reimbursement/ payment include; payments to moving companies, truck or trailer rental charges, toll road fees, and gasoline cost for a rented or personal vehicle or mileage charges ($ 0.18/mile effective Jan 01, 2018) if an employee's personal vehicle is used.

Examples of expenses NOT eligible for reimbursement/payment are:

• meals
• temporary living expenses
• house hunting trips (and any other * storage charges (except in transit charges) pre/post move trips
• selling expenses related to the old house* security deposits on new residence
• expenses of purchasing the new house* moving expenses related to termination of residence prior to WMU employment

The above list is NOT all inclusive and Accounts Payable shall render the final determination as to the eligibility for reimbursement/payment of any particular expense.

The limitations presented here are in addition to those inherent in WMU's general moving expense policy (see above) as well as any further limitations imposed by the employee's hiring unit.

This information is subject to change without prior notice. Contact Accounts Payable for the latest eligibility list.