NPS Permanent Change of Station Employee Handbook
Total Page:16
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National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior April 2010 Permanent Change of Station Employee Handbook Permanent Change of Station Handbook National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Above: Zion National Park, Utah; credit: NPS photo Cover: Canyon Visitor Education Center at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; credit: NPS photo Page 2 NPS, Permanent Change of Station Handbook National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Permanent Change of Station Employee Handbook Produced by the National Park Service Accounting Operations Center Herndon, Virginia U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC April 2010 NPS, Permanent Change of Station Handbook Page 3 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Zion Lodge at Zion National Park, Utah; credit: NPS photo Page 4 NPS, Permanent Change of Station Handbook National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Table of Contents Employee Relocation Information .................................................................................................. 9 Employee Relocation Checklist ............................................................................................................ 9 1. General Information .......................................................................................................... 11 2. Employee Relocation Agreement ..................................................................................... 12 3. Employee Questionnaire ................................................................................................... 12 4. Travel Authorization ......................................................................................................... 12 5. Advance of Funds ............................................................................................................. 12 6. Allowable Expenses .......................................................................................................... 13 A. Dual Career Moves ..................................................................................................................... 13 B. Advance House Hunting Trip ..................................................................................................... 13 C. En Route Travel Expenses to New Duty Station ........................................................................ 15 D. Temporary Quarters at New Duty Station .................................................................................. 17 E. Transportation of Household Goods ........................................................................................... 20 F. Shipment of Professional Books and Equipment ....................................................................... 22 G. Transportation of Mobile Homes ................................................................................................ 22 H. Transportation of Privately Owned Automobile ........................................................................ 22 I. Temporary Storage of Household Goods ................................................................................... 23 J. Non-Temporary Storage of Household Goods ........................................................................... 23 K. Residence Transactions .............................................................................................................. 23 L. Property Management Services .................................................................................................. 24 M. Settlement of an Unexpired Lease .............................................................................................. 25 N. Miscellaneous Expense Allowance ............................................................................................ 25 7. Intra-Area Moves .............................................................................................................. 26 8. Temporary Change of Station ........................................................................................... 26 9. Reimbursement Procedures .............................................................................................. 27 10. Treatment of Relocation Allowances for Income Tax Purposes ...................................... 28 11. Most Frequently Asked Questions .................................................................................... 30 Appendices .................................................................................................................................... 33 Appendix A - PCS Support Documents and Forms ............................................................................ 35 Exhibit 1 - Summary of Relocation Entitlements and Eligibility .......................................... 36 Exhibit 2 – Employee Relocation Agreement for within the 48 Continental United States . 37 NPS, Permanent Change of Station Handbook Page 5 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Exhibit 2A – Employee Relocation Agreement Outside of the 48 Continental United States ............................................................................................................................................... 38 Exhibit 3 – Employee Transfer Questionnaire ...................................................................... 39 Exhibit 4 – Shipment of Household Goods Questionnaire.................................................... 41 Exhibit 5 – Advance of Funds Application and Account - Standard Form (SF) 1038.......... 43 Exhibit 6 – Employee and Immediate Family Subsistence Expenses while Occupying Temporary Quarters ............................................................................................................... 45 Exhibit 7 – Cost Comparison for Shipping Household Goods - GSA Form 2485 ................ 47 Exhibit 8 – Application for Reimbursement of Expenses ..................................................... 49 Exhibit 9 – Travel Voucher SF-1012 .................................................................................... 51 Exhibit 10 – Relocation Income Tax Allowance Certification ............................................. 53 Exhibit 11 – Dual Career Move Election .............................................................................. 55 Exhibit 12 – Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expense Agreement ..................................... 57 Exhibit 13 – Travel-Related Taxable Income Summary Sheet (Memorandum) ................... 59 Exhibit 13a – Schedule of Reimbursable Moving Expenses – Cover ................................... 60 Exhibit 13b – Schedule of Reimbursable Moving Expenses – Worksheet ........................... 61 Exhibit 13c – Permanent Change of Station Expenses Form ............................................. 62 Appendix B .................................................................................................................................. 63 Exhibit 1 – Destination Area Services ................................................................................................ 65 Appendix C .................................................................................................................................. 67 Exhibit1 – Mobile Home Preparation Checklist .................................................................... 69 Appendix D ................................................................................................................................. 71 Exhibit 1 – GSA: Shipping Your Household Goods .......................................................................... 73 Page 6 NPS, Permanent Change of Station Handbook National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming; credit: NPS photo NPS, Permanent Change of Station Handbook Page 7 National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Page 8 NPS, Permanent Change of Station Handbook National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Employee Relocation Information Employee Relocation Checklist Employee Relocation Checklist In connection with your move, we are enclosing the following documents to be checked off as applicable and/or completed: Employee Relocation Allowance Agreement Employee Transfer Questionnaire Shipment of Household Goods Questionnaire SF-1038/Advance of Funds Application and Account Subsistence Expenses While Occupying Temporary Quarters GSA Form 1485/Cost Comparison for Shipping Household Goods Employee Application for Reimbursement of Expenses Incurred Upon Sale or Purchase (or Both) of Residence Upon Change of Official Station. SF-1012/Travel Voucher Relocation Income Tax Allowance Certificate Before incurring any relocation expenses, the following documents must be completed and returned to the gaining Regional Office/Park: the Employee Relocation Allowance Agreement, the Employee Transfer Questionnaire and the Shipment of Household Goods Questionnaire. If an advance of funds is desired, also submit the completed Advance of Funds Application and Account. The travel authorization cannot be prepared until the gaining Regional Office/park receives these documents. The PCS Employee Handbook provides guidelines for completing and submitting the above forms. Do not incur any relocation expenses until you have received an approved written Travel Authorization (DI-1020) or other written notification. Costs incurred before the official travel authorization is prepared may result in your incurring extra non-reimbursable costs if the wrong method of moving household