Faculty and Staff

Obtaining Approval for Move/ Transfer Expenses

Last updated November 10, 2009 8:44:51 AM PST
Give more feedback

Follow these guidelines to obtain approval for payment of moving expenses for eligible new or transferring employees.

In the right place? For arranging payment or requesting reimbursement see the links on the overview.

Expand all

1. Check eligibility for payment of move/ transfer expenses for the person being hired or transferred.

  • Ensure eligibility for payment of move/ transfer expenses.

    Definition: Move/ transfer expenses include reasonable costs of moving household goods and personal effects to a new residence, as well as transportation to the new residence.

2. Determine the appropriate approval authority for the type of payment you are requesting.

  • Approval authority for move/ transfer expenses is one of the following:
    • Staff positions
      • Michael Yates, Director of Employment & Community Outreach Services
      • Note: For exceptions, see Step 4.
      • CEO, UCSD Medical Center
      • Dean, School of Medicine
      • Chief of Staff, UCSD Health Sciences
      • Deputy Vice Chancellor, UCSD Health Sciences
      • Assistant Dean, Fiscal Affairs, School of Medicine
    • Academic positions

3. Obtain approval.

  • Before making a commitment to the person who will be moving or transferring, submit a staff approval form or faculty approval form for move/ transfer through your department chair or administrative head to the appropriate approval authority (see list of approval authorities above in Step 2). Or, for staff you can use e-mail instead of the form, as long as you provide the following details:
    • Name and title of new or transferring employee
    • Payroll title of position
    • Title code
    • Department
    • If the position was filled by an open recruitment (including requisition number)
    • Points of origin and destination of move
    • Applicable dates
    • Estimated dollar amount of the reimbursement requested
    • Funding source
    • Details of the request (i.e. General move of household goods, transportation)
    • Requisition Number of the recruitment
    • Chancellor's approval documentation (exception requests only)
    Note: If the point of origin is outside the United States, Mexico, or Canada, include an estimate of foreign moving costs.
  • If the approval authority approves the request, your department will receive the signed approved form (or e-mail if applicable). Attach a copy to the employee's Travel Expense Form and submit to:
    UCSD Travel
    Mail Code 0998
    Attn: Chrissy Smith


4. If the person is seeking payment that qualifies as an exception to policy, follow these steps for requesting a policy exception.

  • The hiring department must request, in advance, any applicable exception to policy specifying:
    • Name and title of new or transferring employee
    • Payroll title of position
    • Title code
    • Department
    • If the position was filled by an open recruitment (including requisition number)
    • Points of origin and destination of move
    • Applicable dates
    • Estimated dollar amount of the reimbursement requested
    • Funding source
    • Details of the request (i.e. General move of household goods, transportation)
    • Requisition Number of the recruitment
    • Special circumstances or need for the exception 
    Note: If more than one exception applies, state the circumstances for each one separately.
  • Submit the request for exception to the appropriate approval authority:
  • Staff positions
    • Submit to your department chair or administrative head, who follows appropriate hierarchy for Chancellor approval.
  • Academic positions
  • If you receive approval, attach original receipts, copies of the approval, and exception memos to the Travel Expense Form. Send this packet to:
    UCSD Travel
    Mail Code 0998
    Attn: Chrissy Smith

Expand all

For more information, see who to contact for additional guidance.

Notice: UC Policy and Regulations (PDF) is the source for UCSD travel policy. Published UCSD policy is decisive as it has been adapted to UCSD's organization, delegation of authority, terminology, chart of accounts.