2.7 Reimbursement of Travel Expenses for Employment Interviews and Relocation

Reimbursement of travel expenses for employment interviews and relocation of newly recruited personnel is commonly limited by departmental budgets and/or the terms of contracts and grants. No commitment for reimbursement should be made without first consulting the appropriate Department Head, Laboratory Director, or Manager to ascertain that such reimbursement is authorized.

The following special travel policies are for guidance in the normal operation of the Institute. Similar policies for programs and laboratories with special needs may be approved by the Office of the Vice President for Finance. Information regarding employee travel for Institute business should be referred to the Travel Section of the Office of the Vice President for Finance.

2.7.1 Employment Interviews

Prospective employees may be reimbursed, if authorized, for travel expenses incurred in connection with an employment interview in Cambridge or elsewhere in accordance with the normal travel policy for employees.

2.7.2 Moving Expenses

Subject to the department budgetary and contract limitations noted above, newly hired employees may be reimbursed for moving expenses. Generally, the term "moving expenses" means only the reasonable expenses of:

• moving household goods and personal effects from the former residence to the new residence;
• traveling (including meals and lodging) from the former residence to the new place of residence.

It is recommended that those monitoring travel expenses for a department or area contact the Travel office of the Office of the Vice President for Finance for further information as to what constitutes approved travel and moving expenses.

Because of the high priority of the work and time schedules in certain activities of the Institute, it is occasionally necessary to recruit members with special qualifications to fill an immediate and specific need and to bring them to the place of permanent employment immediately, before they are able to locate and move into new local residences.

Such staff members may incur unusual relocation expenses such as meals and lodging while occupying temporary quarters close to the new principal place of work (during any period of 30 consecutive days after obtaining employment), the cost of living in a hotel or motel until they are able to move into a new home, travel and subsistence expenses incurred in house hunting, etc. These costs are reimbursed on an actual cost basis; the nature of the cost and its extent should be discussed with each employee on a case-by-case basis.