Here are the essential steps to apply for reimbursement relocation expenses related to a new hire’s move to Vancouver or the Okanagan.

This guide includes all the steps an eligible faculty or senior manager needs to take when seeking reimbursement for relocation expenses.

Final notes for eligible faculty and senior managers

Workday resources 

If you need help with processes related to Workday, visit the Integrated Service Centre.

The Central Relocation Fund supports eligible faculty and senior management moving to Metro Vancouver to work at the Vancouver Campus or to the Kelowna area to work at the Okanagan Campus.

The amount of reimbursement from the fund depends on where the individual or family is moving from and on the number of dependents relocating. The amounts in this table are the overall limits available to use towards eligible relocation expenses. Expenses that go beyond the overall limit won’t be reimbursed from the central relocation fund.

Note: “Designated Professional” is the term used in the relocation policy for the relocating faculty member or senior management staff.

Central Relocation Fund table

(Overall limit excluding additional allowance limits)

The above Central Relocation Fund Table is in effect since December 21, 2017, and will be amended from time to time by the Vice President, Human Resources. Any revisions to the table will be in effect on the date of posting.

Aside from the overall limits listed in the table above, the relocation policy outlines limits on individual expense items. These limits are flexible within the overall limit and individual expense item limits are outlined below:

Flexible guidelines for individual expense items within overall limit

Automobile transport

Only expenses for personal passenger car, van or truck (up to 1/2 ton pickups) will be permitted. The rates are as follows:

Shipping:

• <500km – 0$
• 500km or greater, by rail or truck, only at market rates, not to exceed $2500 using the most appropriate service

Driven:

• Rates as they apply under Policy FM8 - Business Expenses (formerly Policy #83) but not to exceed $2,500

Dependant care allowance

Only if authorized and then for no more than $25 per day per Dependant.

Customs and immigration related expenses

Provided UBC incurs the expense or specifically authorizes the expenditure in advance, which may include designating the service provider, UBC will pay for the listed expenses of the Designated Professional, Spouse, and Dependants to a cumulative maximum of $3,000 incurred within 3 years of the acceptance of the offer of employment:

• Translation of documents where translation is required by UBC and/or the Canadian government.
• Medical examinations required by UBC and/or the Canadian government.
• Immigration, work permit, and residency visa fees levied by the Canadian government.
• Police criminal record checks and fingerprinting.
• Healthcare insurance premiums of the family or individual to be covered for up to 3 months immediately preceding that individual’s eligibility for coverage by the British Columbia Medical Services Plan.

Note: UBC doesn’t pay for:

• Emigration or border fees levied by foreign governments
• Passports
• Legal services or documents
• Duties and taxes on personal goods (e.g., vehicle).

Household and Personal Effects

storage

The maximum storage expenses for Household and Personal Effects is one month’s storage, if required, and one-time delivery into and out of the storage facility.

weight allowance

The maximum weight covered for Household and Personal Effects is as set out in the Household and Personal Effects Weight Allowance Table below.

The eligibility and provisions for travel and relocation assistance are located under two policies:

• Policy HR6 – Relocation
• Policy FM8 - Business Expenses

The Relocation Policy was revised and received approval from the Board of Governors on March 22, 2007 and the procedures within the policy was amended on December 21, 2017. The Travel Policy was revised on January 17, 2019.

Highlights of the policy

Eligibility

New hires eligible for relocation assistance under the relocation policy (called “designated professionals” in the policy document) continue to include tenure-stream faculty members and prospective tenure-stream faculty members (e.g., professorial and instructor ranks). The eligible group also includes senior management staff. For more information on eligibility, please see here.

Authorization

The terms of relocation assistance are negotiated between the Faculty/Department and the new hire in advance, and should be outlined in the offer letter. A number of items outlined as “eligible” in the revised policy are subject to “authorization” by the Faculty/Department.

Tools of the trade

In addition to relocation of household and personal effects, the policy allows for relocation of “tools of the trade”, that are necessary and related to employment with the University. This could include items such as an office library, computer equipment, research equipment and supplies. Tools of the trade are not counted as part of the weight allowance for household and personal effects. However, the cost of the tools of the trade is included within the Central Relocation Funds Reimbursement allowance.

Central Relocation Fund reimbursement

The amount of relocation expense that is reimbursed by Payment and Procurement Services is now determined based on two factors:

• the number of people relocating, and
• the origin of the move.

The hiring department fills out the Relocation Reimbursement Claim Form and submits it with proper documentation to Finance Operations in Vancouver or Payment and Procurement Services, UBC Okanagan in Kelowna.

Exceeding the Central Relocation Fund reimbursement

Departments continue to have flexibility to negotiate additional terms of relocation assistance with new hires. Financial Operations in Vancouver and Payment and Procurement Services, UBC Okanagan in Kelowna will reimburse eligible expenses in accordance with the policy and the Central Relocation Fund Table. Departments are responsible for funding the remainder of negotiated relocation costs.

Travel

Any travel claim related to relocation is eligible for reimbursement from central relocation funds, regardless of the provider. If you require assistance with travel arrangements, please find more information at the Travel at UBC website and you may choose to utilize UBC’s contracted travel agency.

Am I eligible under the Relocation Policy?

Your eligibility is based on your job title and the term of your new position. You are considered eligible if you are a tenure-stream faculty member, prospective tenure-stream faculty member, librarian, or senior management staff who is relocating to the UBC Vancouver campus from outside Metro Vancouver or the UBC Okanagan campus from outside the Kelowna area.

Eligible faculty and librarian positions include:

• Professor (tenure/tenure-track/grant tenure/grant tenure-track)
• Professor of Teaching (tenure/tenure-track/grant tenure/grant tenure-track)
• University Killam Professor
• Associate Professor (tenure/tenure-track/grant tenure/grant tenure-track)
• Assistant Professor (tenure/tenure-track/grant tenure/grant tenure-track)
• Acting Assistant Professor (tenure track/grant tenure-track)
• Instructor (tenure track/grant tenure-track)
• Senior Instructor (tenure/grant tenure)
• University Librarian
• Acting University Librarian
• General Librarian (confirmed/confirmed-track/grant confirmed/grant confirmed-track)
• Administrative Librarian (confirmed/probationary)
• Program Director (confirmed/probationary)

Senior management staff are considered to be the President, Vice-Presidents (VPs) and Associate Vice-Presidents (AVPs). Any exceptions must be authorized by the Vice President, Human Resources.

Appointments not eligible under the Relocation Policy

If you are in other positions (including Post-Doctoral Fellows, Visiting Scholars, Research Associates, Sessional Lecturers and other staff not in senior management positions) that are temporary, visiting or sessional, you are not eligible for financial assistance from the Central Relocation Fund, the UBC fund that supports the relocation policy.

You do however have the option to access one of UBC’s designated relocation companies, at your expense, for your moves to and from Canada. The University has arranged for these companies to provide the same negotiated rates and tariffs to new hires not eligible under Policy HR6 – Relocation (formerly Policy #82). For more information, visit our Contact page.

Please note:

• You will be expected to make payments directly to the movers.
• You won’t need a purchase order to pay your relocation invoice.

All the information eligible faculty and senior managers need to know to access relocation funds.

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Relocation process for faculty and senior management

A step-by-step guide walking you through all the actions required to access reimbursement for relocation expenses.

Learn more

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Moving companies: options, contacts and claims

Learn about the designated relocation and moving company options and how to contact them.

Learn more

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Central Relocation Fund

Details about the reimbursement amounts available from the fund.

Learn more

Resources for completing the relocation process

Occupational & Preventive Health (OPH) for UBC faculty, staff and student employees.

UBC’s OPH unit provides confidential and free programs and services to help protect the health and safety of staff, faculty, and paid students working both on and off-campus, including UBC-Okanagan and hospital sites.

To request an appointment with an Occupational Health Nurse, please email oph.info@ubc.ca. 

What can OPH help with?

• Workplace risk assessments with consideration of employee personal health histories
• Supportive consultation with the Occupational Health Nurse, including a focus on prevention of injury/exposure
• Immunization review with an Occupational Health Nurse
• Vaccinations, tests, and screenings based on workplace exposure risks
• Medical clearance for respirator fit testing
• Pregnancy planning and workplace risk assessments (i.e. chemical exposure risk)
• Occupational allergy prevention, diagnosis, and follow-up care
• Workplace risk assessments for exposure to infectious agents (i.e. Hepatitis B Virus)
• Consultations with the OPH Physician
• Specialist referrals for occupational related health concerns
• Referral to the Centre for Workplace Accessibility or the Stay at Work/Return to Work Team

Explore these popular Occupational Health topics

Contact OPH

Clinic Location: 
David Strangway Building

311-5950 University Blvd.

Vancouver BC, V6T1Z3

Tel: 604-827-4713
E-mail: oph.info@ubc.ca

UBC ergonomics advisors

Vancouver Campus & Lower Mainland Sites

Abigail Overduin, Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist
Ergonomics Program Lead, UBC Vancouver & Lower Mainland
ergonomics.info@ubc.ca or 604-822-9040

UBC Okanagan Campus

Health, Safety and Environment
hse.ok@ubc.ca
https://operations.ok.ubc.ca/health-and-safety/ergonomics/

Not UBC staff/faculty?

Consult a Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist

Manual Material Handling (MMH) tasks contribute to a large percentage of our WSBC time loss accepted injuries at UBC. It is important that both staff and supervisor recognize MMH hazards, follow safe working procedures and implement effective ergonomic interventions that eliminate or minimize the risk and impact of MMH injuries.

UBC’s Ergonomics Program offers the following resources:

• Training. Register online for one of our regularly scheduled MMH Ergonomics Trainings
• Lifting guidelines: how much is too much and guidance on lifting mechanics. 

Contact ergonomics.info@ubc.ca if you require additional assistance.

UBC's ergonomics team is available for individual ergonomic assessments of your workspace. The goal of the assessment is to improve your comfort and reduce your risk of musculoskeletal injuries while working. 

To request an ergonomics assessment, complete an ergonomics assessment request form to provide some background information. 

Request an ergonomics assessment

About the request form:

• The form typically takes 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
• For virtual or home office assessments, you will need to include some photos and measurements.
• If you have any questions or difficulty completing the form, please contact the Ergonomics team.  

Who can request an assessment: 

• We are able to provide ergonomic assessment for all UBC faculty, staff and students with an active paid appointment.
• Ergonomic assessments are available for all UBC work environments including offices, home offices, laboratories, libraries, facilities, building services, dentistry, food services, child care, etc. 

Resources before requesting an ergonomics assessment:

• Review our resources and office ergo webinar.to explore practical strategies for setting up your workstation effectively.
• Speak with your manager about your concerns. They may be aware of additional resources available in your department.
• Report a work-related injury if you believe that your injury was caused or significantly aggravated by your work. Please guidance on how to report, please refer to Accident/Incident reporting process.

What happens next:

• After you submit your request, we'll contact you to schedule an assessment. The assessment typically takes up to one hour and includes a review of your concerns and an evaluation of your workstation. This may involve taking photos and measurements. Where possible, we'll make on-the-spot adjustments to improve your setup.
• After the assessment, we will connect with your Manager to discuss recommendations and feasible solutions. Purchasing decisions are typically made by the department. A report will be shared with both you and your Manager. 

Report an incident

Ergonomic injuries (overexertion and repetitive strain injuries) account for over 40% of the days lost from WSBC accepted time loss claims. Report an incident on the UBC Safety and Risk Services website. 

Regulations

Musculoskeletal injury (MSI) risk factors are regulated under sections (4.46 to 4.53) of the BC Worker’s Compensation Act which places a legal responsibility on employers to identify factors in the workplace that may expose workers to a risk of MSI, assess the risk level and implement controls to eliminate or, if that is not practical, minimize the risk of musculoskeletal injury.

The purpose of the WSBC Ergonomics (MSI) Requirements (4.46 to 4.53) requirements is to eliminate or, if that is not practicable, minimize the risk of musculoskeletal injury to workers

Accident-incident investigations-ergo (MSI) related

Section 4.49 of the WSBC Ergonomics MSI Requirements outlines risk factors that must be considered, where applicable, in the identification and assessment of the risk of musculoskeletal injury (MSI). The information below is provided to assist you with your investigation, contact UBC’s Ergonomics Team if you require additional assistance.

• Incident Investigations: Lifting  Tool
• Ergo MSI Investigation Tip Sheet (pdf)

Safe lifting

• Lifting Limits: how much is too much?
• Safe Lifting Resource Sheet

Risk factors (MSI)

There are several factors that impact the risk of developing a musculoskeletal injury (MSI). Risk factors are multiplicative; for example, awkward posture combined with force substantially increases strain on the body’s musculature system compared to either factor alone.

• Posture
• Force
• Repetition & Static Load
• Duration
• Environment
• Contact
• Stress
• Psychosocial

Posture

When considering the ergonomics of a workstation we look for a layout that facilitates a comfortable (neutral) working posture; workstations that require awkward postures not only increase the risk of musculoskeletal injury they also result in reduced efficiency. Not all awkward postures result in a high risk of musculoskeletal injury or reduced efficiency; whether changes need to be made will depend on how the risk factors interact.

Consider the following questions when looking for risk factors in your environment.

• Does the task promote working in an awkward posture?
• Does the layout of the work result in workers reaching away from their body or overhead?
• Is the bench or table height adequate or does it promote bending, twisting or crouching?
• How extreme is the awkward posture?
• How frequent is that posture repeated or is it held for a sustained period of time?
• Is any force applied while working in an awkward posture?

Risk factors are multiplicative: bending (awkward posture) combined with heavy lifting (force) places extreme stress on the spine.

Force

Your lifting powerzone is within mid-thigh to waist level. Heavy items should only be placed on the ground if they will be moved with a dolly and not lifted; if you will need lift a heavy item, it should be stored within your powerzone.

Determining if an item can be safely lifted depends on multiple factors; you can lift less weight overhead or from the ground as compared to at waist level; likewise, your strength capacity is less if the load is awkward or if there’s no hand hold to firmly grasp the object.

Consider the following questions when determining if an item can be safely lifted:

• How heavy is the object?
• Can you get in close?
• Is the object at waist level or overhead or at ground level?
• Is the object an awkward shape?
• Can you get a good grip on the object?
• How many times do you have to lift?
• Can a dolly be used rather than lifting the item?

About musculoskeletal injuries

Musculoskeletal Injuries (MSIs), also known as Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), are injuries that affect muscles, tendons and ligaments, nerves, blood vessels or related soft tissue. These injuries can occur from overexertion, such as when lifting a heavy box, or from repeatedly using the same muscles over and over again as is the case with Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSIs). Examples of MSIs include Rotator Cuff tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and low back injuries involving ligaments, muscles or spinal discs.

MSIs make up approximately 30% of WorkSafe BC injury claims at UBC.

The Occupational Health & Safety Regulations require employers to identify and assess workplace risk factors in order to eliminate or if that is not practical, minimize, the risk of MSI to workers.