Orangepants

Hi,
Although this isn't specifically a visa question, I hoped that someone may be able to advise.
I am negociating my contract for my transfer with my US investment bank and wondered what "expat issues" I should considering?
What should be included in the contract re: Green card process, possibility of lay offs and timeframe for finding another position. etc..
As I already have my house, boyfriend, dog etc. there and essentially was recruited there but sent to London to do the year, I dont suppose I can request flight to Charlotte to start my job?
I'm sure I'm missing huge things???
Please help. I messed up my London contract by not getting everything in writing and trusting them "to do the right thing" I dont want to screw this one up

Thanks, any ideas would be welcome,
Trish

Ray

medical medical and medical as a starter

MsElui

if they sent you to london then they should include the flight to the us too.

Get the green card process guaranteed in the contract and to be started within a specified time limit.

check out some posts by lochdaz.... in the main us forums a few months ago. They discussed potential things to negotiate there you may be able to use.

Bob

quite a few threads on packages to search out...

You want them to cover repatriation costs if they cut you, or you don't like it.

Cover cost of bringing stuff over, as well as a wedge of cash to cover stuff you've got to sort out to get you going such as deposits for utilities etc.

Decent medical insurance, possibly 401K

Someone to sort out the tax implications for first year and last year.

Folinskyinla

I would suggest what the benefits package is in the US as a first thing -- including medical, dental, waiting periods etc etc. She may want things that goes beyond the standard group policy -- such as waiver of waiting period or some type of bridge policy.

pejpm1

im on an l1b..main things to worry about are bens, particularly health..green card if you're bothered about staying..it depends on your situation i suppose, I'm employed with all the same terms as a local, but I work for a smaller place where we've done most of it informally. I would imagine at an ib hr arent quite as friendly so you should get everything documented..repatriation would be something to mention, if you get fired will they pay for your stuff to get shipped back, flights, etc

dh010447

I'm on L-1B and my contact includes:

2 return flights back to the UK every year
Accommodation allowance
Car Allowance
Tax (both UK and US) being taken care of by tax company
Very small on-off payment for odds and ends
Portion of agency rental fee's for our house back in the UK
Money to ship things over to the USA

If i get sacked, they don't pay for me to go back to the UK
If I get made redundant, they pay for me to go back to the UK

When (if) i return back to the UK, they will try and have a job available for me. If not, I get redundancy.

Medical and Paid Time off is the same as a local employee. As is 401(k).

Nothing in there about greencard, but they have begun the process anyway.

Hope this helps.

Bob

Hope your not in an at will state then, because that's the cheeky get out that they use, they'll just fire you and save redundancy...

dh010447

I am in an 'at will' state...

Company is pretty good though (they have made some crap people redundant in the past) and my jobs pretty safe...

Orangepants

Thanks for all your suggestions. As I was resident in the Cayman Islands before for 10 yrs I dont think they'll consider flights to the UK for me to see the folks or repat here. (I was hired in the States and as we couldn't get the H1B I had to spend the year in London.
I am already set up in the States - did eveything "arse about face" as my Mum says, built the house, got the dog before the visa situation was sorted. All my stuff was shipped from Cayman - well actually didn't have that much left as lost most of it in Hurricane Ivan.
I suspect because the banks are in belt tightening mode I'll be lucky to negociate even one excess bag at a cost of $100!! Although I hope to get the initial flight over in Sept.
What tax issues would I have - I've been employed here for just over a year but haven't worked in UK before (left straight after Uni)?
Medical, redundancy and greecard are my primary priorities I think.

Thanks again,
Trish

dh010447

As far as tax is concerned - i believe it should be fairly simple.

UK Tax year runs april to april and the monthy tax that you pay assumes that you have worked there a full tax year. If you started in teh middle of a tax year and left in the middle of a tax year - you should be in for a refund.