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AP 3-160 Travel and Relocation Assistance for Finalists and New Hires

Arapahoe Community College
Series 3 - College Personnel
AP 3-160 - Travel and Relocation Assistance for Finalists and New Hires

Originated: October 2012

Retired: April 2016

Reinstated: October 2021

Revised: June 2022

Effective: October 2021, June 2022

References: State of Colorado Fiscal Rule 2-6 Moving and RelocationState of Colorado Fiscal Rule 5-1 TravelSP 8-61c Travel Procedure, CCCS Operational Guidelines for Human Resources

Approved:

Stephanie J. Fujii, Ph.D.
President, Arapahoe Community College

PURPOSE

This Procedure contains pertinent information affecting finalists, new hires, and employees, current through the date of its issuance. To the extent that any provision of this Procedure is inconsistent with State or Federal law, State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education Policies (BPs) or Colorado Community College System Procedures (SPs), the law, BPs and SPs shall supersede and control. BPs and SPs are subject to change throughout the year and are effective immediately upon adoption by the Board or System Chancellor, respectively. Employees are expected to be familiar with and adhere to the BPs, SPs as well as College directives, including but not limited to this Procedure.

Nothing in this Procedure is intended to create (nor shall be construed as creating) an express or implied contract or to guarantee employment for any term. The College reserves the right to modify, change, delete or add to this Procedure as it deems appropriate.

SCOPE

This procedure applies to out of town or out of state finalists for certain positions, seeking travel assistance to attend an on-campus, final interview process. This procedure also applies to all new hires who have been offered full-time employment at ACC but have not yet started.

DEFINITIONS

Finalist – A candidate who has been determined to be a finalist for a full-time position.

New Hire – A candidate for a position that has been offered full-time employment at ACC, accepted the conditional offer of employment, but has not yet started.

Per Diem – Daily rate of pay for meals, parking, and other miscellaneous allowances as provided in State fiscal rules.

Relocation Assistance – An approved dollar amount or percentage of salary provided to a new hire to assist with costs incurred in relocating to work at ACC. When a College or the System Office authorizes a relocation benefit for a new hire that would be less than reasonable moving expenses associated with a relocation, a relocation benefit is most appropriate. This option does not require the new hire to submit receipts confirming their expenses. Relocation benefits are processed as a one-time payment through payroll on the new hire’s first pay.  

Travel Assistance – Travel reimbursement for qualifying expenses incurred to travel to the ACC campus.

PROCEDURE

ACC recognizes the value of providing travel and relocation assistance in attracting employees to our workforce. As a result, ACC has established a travel and relocation assistance procedure for out of town or out of state finalists for certain full-time positions and all new hires relocating to work full-time at ACC. Consideration should be given to ensure equitable application of relocation assistance across the College. This procedure may be reviewed based on operational needs, difficulty recruiting, and budget availability and may be suspended at any time due to fiscal resources.

  1. Finalists Traveling to ACC
     

    ACC may offer finalists for certain full-time positions, an opportunity for travel assistance to the campus. Positions are dictated by operational needs, difficulty recruiting, and budget. These positions will be determined at the time of recruitment by the Office of Human Resources and the division Vice President or College President or as the need arises and must documented on the Position Request Form. To be eligible for the reimbursement, candidates must be invited to interview on campus by the Office of Human Resources and must follow this procedure.

    If there is a special situation not covered by this procedure, the Office of Human Resources shall be contacted for review and approval in advance of a finalist’s travel to campus. Finalists should be informed of and abide by these guidelines when traveling to campus.

    Finalists will secure all travel arrangements and accommodation for lodging and may receive reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred for travel to campus. Receipts will be required for the reimbursement of incurred travel for finalists. Finalists needing assistance with air travel may be able to procure arrangements through ACC if needed.  ACC has negotiated rates with local hotels and can provide that information through Fiscal Services.

    All air, train, and bus travel may be reimbursable at the coach or standard class fare.  Rental cars, taxicabs, shuttle service, or other service-type transportation may be reimbursable at the economy or standard fare. When driving a personal vehicle over 100 miles, ACC may reimburse for mileage at the current State mileage reimbursement rate.

    Meals may be reimbursed at the current and applicable per diem rate. Gratuities are included as incidentals at the per diem rate.

    Personal and miscellaneous expenses incurred for travel shall not be eligible for reimbursement. Such costs include, but are not limited to, partner travel expenses, replacement items due to lost or stolen luggage, dry cleaning or laundry service, toiletry items, entertainment, alcohol, telephone, and internet connection.

  2. New Hires Relocating to Work at ACC

    ACC may provide relocation assistance as a benefit to all full-time new hires relocating 100 miles or more to work at ACC. Acknowledging that the ACC personal median salary is lower than the Denver metro area personal median salary*, ACC will use the Denver metro area personal median salary to provide relocation assistance to new hires making at or below this salary median.

    * Denver metro area personal median salary (source: metrodenver.org) is subject to change and may be evaluated on an annual basis depending on budget availability.

    New Hires receiving a conditional offer of employment at or below the Denver metro area personal median salary*, may receive a one-time benefit of up to 5.75% of that median salary if relocating at level 4. Example: $68,500 x 5.75% (relocating 2001+ miles) = $3,939 for relocation assistance.

    New Hires receiving a conditional offer of employment above the Denver metro area personal median salary*, may receive a one-time benefit of up to 5.75% of the new hire’s annual salary if relocating at level 4. Example: $70,000 x 5.75% (relocating 2001+ miles) = $4,025 for relocation assistance.
    Level # Relocation Distance (miles) Relocation Assistance
    (whichever is greater)
    Level 1 100 to 250 5% of annual salary -OR- $3,425 if at/below the Denver metro area personal median salary
    Level 2 251 to 1,000 5.25% of annual salary -OR- $3,596 if salary is at/below the Denver metro personal median salary
    Level 3 1,001 to 2,000 5.5% of annual salary -OR- $3,768 if salary is at/below the Denver metro personal median salary
    Level 4 2,001 and above 5.75% of annual salary -OR- $3,939 if salary is at/below the Denver metro area personal median salary

     

    Relocation assistance shall be approved prior to the new hire relocating to work at ACC. Any approved relocation assistance is to be determined during the offer stage of the hiring process and fully documented in an offer letter provided through the Office of Human Resources.

    All relocation assistance for new hires will be paid through payroll and are considered taxable income but are not considered as salary for PERA.

  3. Condition of Employment 

    Should an employee decide to voluntarily end their employment with ACC within two (2) years of the official hire date, they may be required to repay ACC any paid relocation assistance. This condition of employment shall be fully documented in an offer letter provided through the Office of Human Resources.