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AUTHORITY
ELIGIBILITY
AUTHORIZATION AND APPROVAL
AUTHORIZED EXPENSES
opb policy revisions
related information
Sections 45-7-22 through 45-7-24 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A) authorize the reimbursement of relocation expenses to State employees and charges the Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) with the establishment of rules, regulations, and policies necessary to administer the reimbursement program. The O.C.G.A. is available on the internet at http://w3.lexis-nexis.com/hottopics/gacode/default.asp.
OPB Policy Memorandum No. 2 (Revision 7) dated September 1, 2006 addresses the payment of employee relocation expenses and State Personnel Administration Personnel Board Rule 22 provides uniform guidelines and procedures when reimbursable employee relocations are required. In general, each agency is authorized to set specific policies and establish procedures within the regulations established by OPB Memorandum No. 2 (Revision 7) and State Personnel Administration Personnel Board Rule 22.
Accordingly, the following guidelines and procedures have been established by the Department in accordance with the above-mentioned authority.
Any DOT employee may be reimbursed for certain relocation expenses as long as the following conditions are satisfied:
Upon notification by the Department of the transfer, an employee may apply for reimbursement of relocation expenses. An Employee Relocation Expense Authorization Form, hereafter referred to as DOT 1041, with cost estimates from three different firms, if applicable, must be submitted by the employee for approval and authorization. The procedures for completing the DOT 1041 may be read in MAP 1-10, Employee Relocation Expense Authorization Procedures.
Authorization may be approved only if:
Before the employee is authorized to receive an expense reimbursement, the DOT 1041 must have the following signature authorizations:
The Employee Relocation Expense Authorization Procedures, hereafter referred to as MAP 1-10, provides instructions for requesting approval and authorization of employee relocation expenses.
State law specifies that the following two considerations related to relocation expenses must be met in order for the expenses to be eligible for reimbursement:
Under these broad guidelines, reimbursement is permitted for certain expenses which may be incurred in looking for a residence, for transporting the employee's household goods and family to their new residence, and for connecting utilities at the new residence. The specific types of expenses are as follows:
An employee may be reimbursed for certain expenses connected with looking for a new residence if the move to the new residence is more than one hundred (100) miles. Mileage expenses at the statutory reimbursement rate may be paid to the employee for up to three (3) trips to the new location looking for a residence. In addition, expenses for food and lodging for up to a total of three (3) days and nights spent at the new location may be reimbursed as provided for in the Travel and Business Expense Reimbursement Policy, hereafter referred to as TOPPS 7195-2, with the exception that the double occupancy rate for one (1) room may be paid. Reimbursement for food and lodging expenses is permitted only for overnight trips and not for one-day trips to the new location.
If the move to the new residence is one hundred (100) miles or less, only mileage expenses at the statutory reimbursement rate may be paid for up to three (3) days spent at the location looking for a new residence. No reimbursement of food or lodging expenses will be paid since a visit to the new location should not require any overnight trips.
Reimbursement to the employee for temporary housing expenses while awaiting the actual move between residences is not provided for by these regulations. However, the Statewide Travel Regulations allows DOT to place an employee on travel status and reimburse a transferred employee for temporary housing expenses. Subsistence may be allowed until the employee establishes a new residence, but not for more than 60 calendar days. This is for the employee only, not other family members.
The provisions are outlined in the Department’s Travel and Business Expense Authorization Policy, TOPPS 7195-1 under Class I-C: Permanent Change of Station - Subsistence.
"Household Goods" means personal property, which may be transported legally in interstate commerce, and which belongs to an employee and his/her immediate family at the time shipment begins. The term includes household furnishings, equipment and appliances, furniture, clothing, books, and similar property. It does not include property which is for resale or disposal rather than for use by the employee or members of his/her immediate family; nor does it include such items as automobiles, trailers, motorcycles and similar motor vehicles, boats, pets, livestock, building materials, firewood or property intended for use in conducting a business or any other commercial enterprise.
There are two (2) ways in which household goods may be moved for which these regulations provide reimbursement, by a commercial moving van or by an employee-owned or rented vehicle. Actual costs associated with moving household goods using any one of these two (2) methods will be reimbursed. Specific guidelines regarding each of the two (2) methods and limitations on the amounts to be reimbursed follow:
If the employee engages a commercial moving company, three estimates shall be obtained and evaluated. The reimbursable cost may include the usual moving services such as packing, unpacking, wardrobe service and transportation of goods. The full actual cost for transportation of household goods will be reimbursed. In addition, the actual cost incurred for the following will be reimbursable:
The costs of the following specific items will not be reimbursed:
For household goods, which the employee chooses to move by rental truck, three bids (or as many bids up to three as there are vendors in the employee's community) shall be obtained. For a rented or employee-owned truck, the following types of expense will be reimbursable:
If an employee plans to transport his/her household goods using an employee-owned mobile home, the Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) should be contacted to request an exception to the two (2) acceptable methods described above. "Mobile Home" means movable or portable dwelling constructed to be towed on its own chassis, connected to utilities and designed without a permanent foundation for year-round occupancy. It must serve as a permanent residence for an employee and his/her immediate family.
The actual amount for certain costs incurred by the employee in reconnecting the utilities at the employee's new residence may be reimbursed. Reimbursement is limited to only those costs associated with establishing utility accounts and having service initiated. Some items for which fees will not be reimbursed are:
In addition, the payment of membership fees in rural electric companies and of deposits required by utility companies will not be reimbursed.
The actual food and lodging expenses incurred by the employee in moving himself/herself and the members of his/her household may be reimbursed up to a maximum daily amount established in TOPPS 7195-2, with the exception that the multiple occupancy rate for one (1) room may be paid. In addition, the maximum reimbursable daily amount for meals of children under the age of twelve (12) years is one-half the daily rate for adults. Food and lodging expenses for up to two (2) days and nights while the move is in process may be reimbursed.
In addition, the cost of transporting two (2) vehicles owned by the employee may be reimbursed at the statutory mileage reimbursement rate for actual miles driven from the old residence to the new residence.
State law contains the following provision concerning the employee's liability for relocation reimbursement funds.
The employee must sign an agreement that he/she will remain employed by the Department in the location to which the move was made for a period of not less than one year following the effective date of the move, unless separated or transferred for reasons beyond his/her control and acceptable to the department concerned. In case of violation of such agreement, any funds expended by the State for expense reimbursement will be recoverable from the employee concerned as a debt due the State.
All claims for damage to household goods in transit must be settled between the employee and the moving company. The State acknowledges no responsibility or legal liability for goods damaged as a result of a relocation.
Under these regulations, an employee who transfers from one State agency to another will be treated in a similar manner to a person who has left State Government. If this transfer is made within twelve (12) months of a relocation for which the employee was reimbursed, the employee is liable to the agency that paid the reimbursement for the amount reimbursed.
These regulations are intended in no way to conflict with State Personnel Board Rules governing the personnel aspects of job transfers. Any question as to the fairness of a particular transfer is outside the scope of these procedures and must be handled in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the State Personnel Board.
The revised rules, regulations and procedures issued by the Office of Planning and Budget (OPB) became effective on December 1, 1989. Updates and revisions to the policy may be made by OPB from time to time as necessary for the effective administration of State law authorizing the reimbursement of relocation expense. Changes made by OPB will be immediately applied upon the effective date of the revision even if the Department policy has not yet been revised.
Employee Relocation Expense Authorization Procedures, MAP 1-10
Employee Relocation Expense Authorization Form, DOT 1041
Employee Relocation Expense Reimbursement Policy, TOPPS 7170-4
Employee Relocation Expense Reimbursement Procedures, MAP 1-11
Employee Relocation Expense Report, DOT 1042
Travel and Business Expense Authorization Policy, TOPPS 7195-1
Travel and Business Expense Reimbursement Policy, TOPPS 7195-2
Travel Advance Policy, TOPPS 7195-6
Travel Advance Procedures, MAP 17-7
For further details, contact:
Office of General Accounting, Accounts Payable Unit
Document History:
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