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UCL Australia SUPPORT PACKAGE - Academic Staff (Lecturer through Professor) and Administrative Staff Grade 9 - 10

External appointments (non-Australia based) or UCL Secondees (Long Term)

1. Relocation Policy.

UCL policy applies (see appendix A).

This includes legal expenses re buying property, transporting personal effects and premium economy fares for self, partner and dependent children up to 20% of starting salary (if moving from outside Australia). In addition there is a relocation supplement of up to $18,000 for contracts of more than 3 years and house loan of up to 1 year's salary.

In addition UCL will pay for a return premium economy flight for self, partner and dependent children at the end of the secondment or fixed term appointment, unless otherwise remaining in Australia.

2. Accommodation costs

Staff will be responsible for their own accommodation in Australia. A relocation supplement of up to $18,000 is intended to reimburse any additional initial expenditure whilst moving between countries.

For appointments or secondments of less than 3 years an accommodation allowance of up to AU$350 p.w. may, when appropriate, be payable for up to 2 months.

External appointments (Australia based)

1. Relocation Policy

UCL policy applies (see appendix A).

This includes legal expenses re buying property, transporting personal effects and economy fares for self, partner and dependent children up to 10% of starting salary. In addition there is a relocation supplement of up to $9,000 for contracts of more than 3 years and house loan of up to 1 year's salary.

2. Accommodation costs

Staff will be responsible for their own accommodation in Australia. A relocation supplement of up to $9,000 is intended to reimburse any additional initial expenditure whilst moving between Australian states.

For appointments or secondments of less than 3 years an accommodation allowance of up to AU$350 p.w. may, when appropriate, be payable for up to 2 months.

UCL Secondees (Short Term - up to 1 year)

1. Relocation Policy

Not applicable

2. Flights

One premium economy class return for self, partner and dependent children, where it is agreed that they will accompany the secondee, to cover the start and end of the secondment.

3. Accommodation costs

It is acknowledged that staff may need to maintain accommodation in London whilst seconded for a short period to UCL Australia. For short term secondees, who are not eligible for relocation costs, an accommodation allowance will be paid.

For the first 2 weeks, travel and subsistence rates will apply. Thereafter an accommodation allowance of up to AU$350 p.w. will be payable.

In exceptional circumstances where an individual is going for less than 6 months (and short term rental will prove problematic), but sufficiently long for hotel accommodation to be costly and onerous for an individual, we will consider a higher payment for serviced apartments.

Visitors from London

1. Flights

UCL's Travel Policy states:

International Travel outside Europe

Such travel must be in Economy class (or equivalent) but the Head of Department (or higher authority as required by the UCL Financial Regulations) may authorise business class travel on long journeys, i.e. those scheduled to be single journeys of six hours or over, or in other exceptional circumstances. Arrangements relating to staff seconded from UCL to work in a foreign country for long periods, are included above. Academic staff who visit an overseas UCL campus to carry out short term teaching, where the flight time is in excess of six hours, and who are required to teach within one or two days after their arrival, will be entitled to travel business class.

UCL staff are encouraged to use UCL's travel insurance (which is normally cheaper than other policies) by completing the standard application form. Full details of the policy are available on the Finance Division's website: Financial Accounting - Travel Insurance.

2. Accommodation

Hotel Accommodation to be booked through the Approved Travel Provider, in line with UCL's Travel and Subsistence policy.

3. Subsistence

Reimbursement will be made only for the cost of the room, reasonable evening meal, breakfast and one reasonable private telephone call per day. Where meals are not taken in the hotel, separate restaurant receipts must be obtained. Claims for subsistence and related expenses must always be supported by receipts. It should be noted that items of a personal nature such as wine, other alcoholic drinks, video hire, newspapers etc., will not be reimbursed by UCL. Laundry costs will be reimbursed if the member of staff is away for more than five days. Alternatively, employees may claim subsistence allowances.

3.1 Overseas 'per diem' Allowance

The Inland Revenue has agreed daily subsistence rates for overseas travel to cover meals, accommodation. and incidentals Where the Head of Department has agreed that reimbursement for overseas subsistence can be claimed at the per diem rate, payment is made in accordance with the Inland Revenue published rates for each night outside the UK.

http://law.ato.gov.au/pdf/pbr/td2011-017.pdf

3.2 Split Rate Payment

Where the Bed and Breakfast is paid directly by UCL, or reimbursed against a receipt, then a split rate is claimable as follows:-

35% of the 24 hour rate

Where the room only is paid directly by UCL, or reimbursed against a receipt, then an additional 15% of the 24 hour rate may be claimed for breakfast.

All claims must be fully receipted.

3.3 Staying with Family or Friends

Where an individual stays with family or friends, the cost of meals and incidentals can be claimed at the per diem rate in accordance to the Inland Revenue published rates.

HR Policy & Planning
Updated – November 2012

Appendix A

RELOCATION POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Taxation

There are potential taxation implications in Australia both for the employer through the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) legislation and the employee in relation to Income Tax legislation.

These vary from time to time with legislative changes. The cost both to the employer and employee must be met from the Relocation Supplement.

UCL Australia retains expert taxation consultants to assess the FBT costs to the employer. Employees of UCL Australia will need to seek personal taxation advice, the costs of which can be met from the Relocation Supplement.

Applicability

The following three elements of the Relocation Scheme apply to academic staff (Lecturer through to Professor) and administrative staff grades 9 - 10 who take up an appointment with UCL Australia

A) Relocation Expenses

Principles

1. To be eligible, candidates must have an offer of employment with UCL Australia for three or more years and be granted a visa to work in Australia.

2. Should a member of staff in receipt of relocation expenses voluntarily leave UCL within 36 months of appointment, a proportion of the reimbursed expenses will be repayable, based on the following sliding scale.

12 months or less	12 - 24 months	24 - 36 months
100%	50%	25%

3. Dependent children are considered as children living at home, up to the age of 18, or still in Higher Education up to the age of 21 or who have a disability and for whom the candidate has lasting carer responsibility for (no age restriction).

Eligibility

4. This policy applies to candidates living in Australia and globally.

5. Applications for relocation expenses from Australian citizens will not be considered unless the appointee has moved from the place/town where they were ordinarily resident in order to take up their appointment with UCL and the move makes a significant difference to their travel to work time.

Approval

6. Applications must be endorsed by the Chief Financial Officer prior to being forwarded to the Chief Executive for approval.

Expenses Payable

7. Relocation expenses up to a maximum of 10% of starting salary (20% of salary if relocating from outside Australia) will be reimbursed in respect of the following expenditure where it is supported by evidence of expenditure:

• Legal expenses in connection with the buying and selling of property, including survey fees. Stamp duty and estate agents' commission are excluded.
• The cost of transporting the personal effects of the member of staff, a cohabiting partner and dependant children.
• The cost of storage of personal effects for a period not exceeding six months.
• The cost of transit insurance and packing.
• The cost of fares including a cohabiting partner and dependant children at premium economy class rates.

8. An advance of 50% of the relocation expenses may be made up to six weeks before the date of taking up appointment on production of satisfactory evidence of expenditure.

9. Applications for relocation expenses must be made to the Chief Financial Officer, within six months of the date of commencement of the appointment or such later date as may (in the individual circumstances) be acceptable to UCL.

B) Relocation Supplement

10. A relocation supplement of (up to$18,000) will be paid (pro-rata for part-time appointments). To be eligible, staff must have an open ended contract of employment or a fixed term contract of three years or more in duration. Relocation supplements will not be available to staff whose salaries are financed by external grants. Staff who voluntarily leave UCL within 3 years of appointment will be required to pay back a proportion of the supplement less any taxation paid, based on the following sliding scale.

12 months or less	12 - 24 months	24 - 36 months
100%	50%	25%

11. Applications for a relocation supplement should be made to the Vice Provost (International) for the Chief Executive and approved by the Chief Executive for all other posts, once there is confirmation that an appointee is relocating in line with the parameters of this scheme.

Reimbursement Eligibility for the Relocation Supplement

The following items are eligible for reimbursement from the relocation supplement:

• relocation transport including meals and accommodation provided where the staff member and his/her family are travelling to their new place of residence.
• temporary accommodation including leasing of goods for domestic use while the staff member is searching for long term accommodation.
• temporary accommodation meals consumed when the staff member and their family were accommodated in a hotel, motel, hostel or guesthouse during the search for long term accommodation
• cost of initial work visa
• the cost of personal taxation advice provided by a recognised tax adviser.
• the cost of health insurance including a cohabiting partner and dependent children for a maximum of one year.
• the cost of an initial bond for rental accommodation.
• other reasonable additional initial expenditure items whilst moving between countries or Australian states.

Receipts or other evidence of payment will be required to substantiate the claim for reimbursement.

C) House Loans

12. House loans are available towards the purchase of a property to be used as the individual's main residence. To be eligible, staff must have an open ended contract of employment or a fixed term contract of three years or more in duration. House loans will not be available to staff whose salaries are financed by external grants.

13. The maximum loan available is equivalent to one year's salary and interest is charged at half a per cent above The Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) Cash Rate. The period of loan repayment is restricted to a maximum of twenty-five years. Both capital and interest repayments are deducted from salary on a monthly basis. Should the employee leave the service of UCL, the balance of the loan outstanding becomes immediately repayable.

14. In all cases where a house loan is agreed, a short-term life assurance policy will be required in relation to the life of the employee to cover the amount and period of the loan.

15. Please note that for all loans UCL will only act as a second lender, that is, the member of staff has to have another loan on the property from a registered lending institution (normally a bank or building society). Where the loan advanced exceeds $50,000 then UCL requires a second charge on the property.

16. The above is a summary of the scheme not the full terms and conditions. Enquiries and applications for house loans should be addressed to the Chief Financial Officer.

HR Policy & Planning
Updated – November 2012