Dean's Office contact: Debbie Olson
Updated 7/15/2024
An offer letter for a new faculty member should include the following paragraph concerning the relocation incentive payment. (See samples of offer letters on the A&S Web.)
This offer includes a relocation incentive payment in the amount of $_____. Acceptance of this offer confirms your understanding that the full amount of the relocation incentive payment must be repaid to the University, if within one year of the date of your appointment you voluntarily terminate University employment, or if you engage in behavior that makes termination of employment necessary. In addition, acceptance of this offer may have tax consequences for you, and necessary payroll deductions will be taken from the relocation incentive payment. If you have questions about the tax implications of the relocation incentive payment, you may wish to consult a tax professional for advice. You will receive this payment as a separate check along with your first paycheck.
The default gross relocation payment amount funded by the College is $10,000. The Divisional Dean and/or department may decide to include additional funds to increase the relocation incentive payment. The initial amount agreed upon by the Divisional Dean and the department chair is included in the offer letter. The relocation incentive payment can be used by the candidate for any expenses related to their relocation to Seattle. It is important to note that the new faculty member cannot receive the relocation incentive payment until on payroll (e.g., if the start date is 9/16/2023 the payment cannot be processed until 9/16/2023).
Before the one-time payment is initiated in Workday, the payment must be approved by the Divisional Dean. Please see the Office of Academic Personnel website on relocation incentive payments for more information and a link to the required form.
After the individual has been hired into Workday and the required pre-approval form has been completed, the unit's HCM Initiate 2 must complete a Request One-time Payment in Workday. Use the Program tag #PG104814 CAS | College Admin | Relocation Incentive Payment & the Resource tag #RS100081 Auxiliary - Educational Activity Resource in the Workday business process. If a department is supplementing relocation expenses from their own resources, please use an additional line to enter the associated cost center information. If the relocation incentive payment is in excess of 25% of the employee’s annual salary, advance approval from the provost is required. Please see the Office of Academic Personnel website for more information about routing for approval.
Potentially a faculty candidate may want to negotiate the relocation incentive payment. In consultation with the Divisional Dean, the department chair may counter with a household goods move rather than the relocation incentive payment. If this is the case, a revised offer letter with an appropriate paragraph about household goods move (see Moving expenses) would be sent to the candidate. The household goods move will be governed by State of Washington policies, and the funds are not flexible. It is the responsibility of the candidate to read and understand the policies regarding household goods moves. The College will cover the actual cost of the eligible moved items or $10,000, whichever is less. The Divisional Dean and/or department may decide to include additional funds to increase the amount available for the household goods move.
When a candidate accepts the revised offer with a household goods move, the Final Terms of Offer form sent by the department should reflect this choice. Please enter the household goods move negotiated amount in the non-base salary items section of the Final Terms of Offer form. Also list the funding source details of dollar amounts and cost centers covering the moving expenses. The department is responsible for completing the A-33 form, issuing the purchase order for the household goods move, and serving as liaison with Purchasing for any questions the new faculty member may have.