RELOCATION EXPENSES POLICY

Transcription

1 RELOCATION EXPENSES POLICY Version Number 1.3 Version Date August 2012 Policy Owner Human Resources Director Author Human Resources Manager First approval or date Refreshed May 2011 last reviewed Staff/Groups Consulted Reviewed unchanged August 2012 Joint Consultation and Negotiation Committee Draft agreed by Policy Owner Discussed by Policy May 2007 Group Approved by ROC May 2007 Next Review Due September 2013 Policy Audited Equality Impact Assessment Completed

2 YEOVIL DISTRICT HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST RELOCATION EXPENSES POLICY This policy will apply to all groups of staff employed by the Trust. The application of this Agreement to hospital, medical and dental staff, or doctors in community medicine and the community health service, or dentists working in the Community Dental Service, is subject to modifications set out in their respective Terms and Conditions of Service. 1. Objective The objective of this policy is to provide financial assistance to employees of the Trust who are to be appointed to key posts where an established skill shortage exists or an appointment is essential to meet the purchaser contract specifications and it is essential to appoint a particular individual to an established vacant position. Under normal circumstances reimbursement of expenses under this policy will be allowed for a maximum period of two years from the date of appointment. 2. Qualifying Circumstances 2.1 The Trust will reimburse relocation expenses incurred by staff who, as a result of taking up employment with the Trust, need to move their home or incur extra daily travelling expenses. Relocation expenses will be reimbursed subject to staff moving to a permanent home within a 20 mile radius of the employee s new work base. 2.2 In circumstances where an existing member of staff accepts a new job in the Trust as an alternative to redundancy, such employees will be entitled to assistance with relocation under the terms of this policy. 2.3 This policy shall apply equally to staff who have previous NHS service and to those who have no previous service. 2.4 The Trust will reimburse the costs of relocation of a member of staff who is required to change NHS employer in order to satisfy the requirements of their professional training. 2.5 The Trust s relocation arrangements for nonmedical staff were introduced to assist new appointees in the smooth transfer to Somerset from elsewhere within the UK. It was agreed that these arrangements would only apply to the senior appointments made to the Trust (Junior Sister or equivalent and above). It is the view of the Trust that these arrangements will continue to apply, however, in exceptional circumstances some assistance may be granted to overcome particular recruitment difficulties. General Manager or Matron can request some relocation assistance from the Trust associated with the recruitment process by discussing with senior members of the HR Department. 2

3 3. Basis of Reimbursement The following parameters apply to the implementation of this policy: reimbursement of costs will be made subject to the objective of the policy as outlined above at 1 and in other cases at the Trust s discretion, reimbursement of costs will apply equally as appropriate to staff who purchase or rent property, the arrangements outlined in this policy will apply equally to all groups of staff, the Trust will have due regard to its Equal Opportunities Policy when applying the terms of this policy, due regard to employee circumstances including the need to relocate dependents and comparability of new and previous accommodation. 4. Repayment of Expenses Incurred The Trust will require employees to repay all or part of the reimbursed costs of relocation should they leave the Trust s employment within two years of the appointment which gave rise to the expenses. In exceptional unforeseen circumstances the Trust may waive this requirement e.g. early termination of a Contract of Employment by the employee as a result of extreme personal circumstances. 5. Reimbursed Costs Staff Selling and Purchasing Properties The Trust will reimburse the following invoiced costs incurred only, up to a maximum of 7,700 per individual employee who qualifies for assistance under the Policy, including medical and dental staff. Solicitor s fees (subject to maximum fees agreed at 7 below) Cost of removal of furniture and effects (subject to fees agreed at 7 below) Charges where, of necessity, furniture or effects are placed in temporary storage pending the imminent purchase of a new property Estate agent fees on sale of previous property Survey fees on property to be purchased (subject to fees agreed at 8 below) Stamp duty on property to be purchased Mortgage redemption fees on property to be sold Bridging loan interest charges subject to prior exchange of contracts on sale and purchase properties Travelling expenses for one visit home per fortnight during the interim period between the sale of the existing property and purchase of a new property. Travelling 3

4 expenses will be reimbursed at the lesser of actual costs of return journey by 2nd class rail/public transport or in the case of care owners at public transport rate The cost of return journey home to supervise the relocation from old to new home Solicitors and survey fees with the purchase of a new home which are aborted by the vendor (subject to maximum fees agreed at 7 below). 6. Staff Purchasing or Renting Properties The Trust will reimburse the following costs to those staff not selling properties but renting or purchasing: Cost of removal of furniture and effects (restricted to cheapest of three quotes); Charges where, of necessity, furniture or effects are placed in temporary storage pending the imminent purchase of a new property; Travelling expenses for one visit home per fortnight during the interim period between the sale of the existing property and purchase of a new property. Travelling expenses will be reimbursed at the lesser of actual costs of return journey by 2 nd class rail/public transport or in the case of car owners, at public transport rate 7. Preferential Service The Trust has negotiated special preferential services with Palmer Snell Estate Agents (for building survey fees) and Thatcher and Hallam, Solicitors. Details of these services are provided to all new employees of the Trust prior to commencement of employment. Employees shall have the flexibility to use their own choice of estate agents and solicitors in such instances any maximum fees agreed with the Trust s preferential service providers will be reimbursed. 8. This policy shall be reviewed on an annual basis between the Trust and independent trades unions recognised by the Trust. 4

5 CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF RELOCATION EXPENSES Name (in Capital Letters) CONTENTS: Page 2 Completion of Claim Information Page 3 Comparability Procedure Page 4 Applicant s Personal Details Page 5 Summary of Claim Pages 67 Details of Claim (Actual Expenses Incurred) Page 8 Undertaking to Repay Updated Dec 06 1

6 COMPLETION OF CLAIM INFORMATION Please Read Carefully IMPORTANT Before entering into any commitments which will form a part of the submission of this claim you must consult the Personnel Department to ascertain your precise entitlements. This is particularly appropriate if there is likely to be or has been a gap between receipt of this form and submission of a claim. NOTES 1. When submitting this claim, supporting receipts must be attached in respect of any entries included against items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (see listing page 9). 2. Any claim included against items 7 and 8 should show dates and; where you are using your own car, the number of miles travelled. All mileage is paid at Public Transport Rate. 2

7 COMPARABILITY PROCEDURE Please note that the entitlement to reimbursement of house purchase expenses is subject to an appraisal of the comparability between the new and previous accommodation. A maximum notional purchase price will be calculated using the average dwelling price as published by the Building Societies, for each region and allowing an uplift of 10% to take into account possible variations within each region., Formula Average Dwelling Price in new region Notional Selling Price x x 10% = Purchase Average Dwelling Price Price in old region Example Selling price of accommodation in East Midlands 45,000 Average Dwelling Price East Midlands Region 50,846 South West Region 61,332 Maximum Notional Purchase Price = 61,332 x 110 = 59,708 50, If the purchase price of the new accommodation is within the maximum notional purchase price the reimbursement of expenses in connection with that purchase, i.e. legal fees, stamp duty, survey fees, etc. will be made in full. However, if the purchase price is above the maximum notional purchase price then an appropriate abatement will be made to the reimbursement of the House Purchase expenses, already detailed. 3

8 APPLICANT S PERSONAL DETAILS (Please complete in capital letters.) Name of Applicant: Present Appointment: a) Post,Department/Hospital: b) Grade& Salary: c) Wholetime/Parttime: d) Date of Appointment: Previous Appointment: a) Authority: b) Post: c) Grade & Salary: d) Wholetime/Parttime: e) Termination Date: Present Address: Previous Address: Date of Removal: APPLICANT S CERTIFICATION I hereby make application for assistance with relocation expenses actually and necessarily incurred by me in connection with my new appointment. I certify that the information given and the expenses incurred by me in this application are correct in all details and that they are not recoverable either in full or part from any other source. Applicant s Name:... Signed:... Date:... 4

9 SUMMARY OF CLAIM Section Item Amount p 1 Removal of Furniture etc. 2 Storage 3 Insurance 4 Legal Expenses re Purchase 5 Legal Expenses re Sale 6 Tenancy Agreements 7 Return journey to old home to supervise removal 8 Visits Home 9 Miscellaneous Expenses Grant COMP ACCOUNT COST CENTRE TOTAL AMOUNT E 5 2 PAYABLE AUTHORISED OFFICERS PAYMENT CERTIFICATION I certify that the amount of... is correct for payment in accordance with Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Relocation Policy and as agreed with the Applicant. Name: Signed: Date: Director of Human Resources 5

10 DETAILS OF CLAIM (ACTUAL EXPENSES INCURRED) Section Item Sub Totals 1 Removal of household furniture and effects. Lowest tender... 2 Storage charge (if any) Period...to... 3 Insurance: Extra cost of insuring furniture in storage or transit. 4. Legal expenses in connection with house purchase: Solicitors Fees Stamp Duty Land Registration Fees Survey Fees Drains Testing Private Survey Fees Incidental Legal Expenses Other Purchase Price of House... National Purchase Price... Office Use Only Notional % Reimbursement... Purchase Price... Total Section 4 5 Legal expenses in connection with the sale of the officer s house prior to the new appointment. Total to Summary Page 9 Legal costs of sale, including expenses in redemption of mortgage. House Agent s or auctioneer s fees. Advertising Costs. Advertising and other incidental costs where an agent is not employed (up to 40) Selling Price of House... Total Section 5 6 The costs of a tenancy agreement (if any) where rented accommodation is taken up Cost of agreement House Agent s Fees Cost of Drains Test Total Section 6 6

11 Section Item Sub Totals 7 Return journey to old home to supervise removal Total to Summary Page 9 Date... Travelling Expenses: (Rail Fare) Officer Wife Subsistence Allowance (if any) Travel expenses Private Motor Vehicle Mileage allowance from old to new home Officer Only... Officer Plus... Passengers Total Section 7 8 Visits Home: (Fortnightly intervals) 2nd Class Rail Fare or Motor Coach Fare 1. Date from...to Date from...to Date from...to... OR Private Motor Vehicle (Public Transport Rate): 1. Date from...to Date from...to Date from...to... Total Section 8 7

12 UNDERTAKING TO REPAY In accordance with Paragraph 4, of Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Relocation Expenses Policy, I hereby acknowledge that, as a condition of receiving payment of relocation expenses, if I leave the service of the Trust within the period of two years a recovery of expenses paid will be made from my salary proportionate to the unexpired period. Applicant s Name:... Signed:... Date:... Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Higher Kingston Yeovil Somerset BA21 4AT 8