lochdaz-of-blantyre

I've asked for this as part of a deal...am I being unreasonable with any? Have I missed anything?

1. Continuation of UK Employment T&C’s e.g. notice period, holiday allocation, sickness benefit, pension etc
2. Discovery/Familiarisation visit prior to relocation for family
3. Packing and shipping of belongings (including insurance and 30 days storage plus Sea Container & Air Freight
4. Replacement of non-transferable goods (electrical goods etc)
5. Expat medical package (including dental and vision) - no deductibles
6. Tax preparation (first and last years of relocation)
7. Vehicle Rental minimum 3-6 months
8. Recompense for cost of driving tests, licences etc
9. Initial hotel/Single Family Home for minimum 3-6 months followed by joint signing of property lease
10. One way flights for relocation
11. Return flights to UK once per year for all family members to visit family
12. All costs associated with visas
13. General assistance in setting up new bank accounts, utilities, social security numbers etc.
14. Protected settling allowance
15. Costs should be gross for the purpose of Tax to mitigate tax liability for relocation costs
16. Subsistence Allowance for 30 days

Cheers,
Daz

Sally Redux

It sounds generous if you can get it.

sambapink

Most of those we got - Asking for help getting SSN, Utilities, bank accounts etc is a little much - most do this themselves. Recompense for driving license etc - cost is nominal - wouldn't ask for that.

Jerseygirl

We more or less got that. One important point you missed...travel for a death or serious illness of a close relative. If you have to fly back at short notice the cheapest fare will be well over $1K per person.

Bob

If it's an L1...

Pension might be tricky.

No deductible might be tough, if it's a standard group policy.

Drivers license, that's being greedy.

Return flights home, in the US, is a hard sell, it ain't DXB, but if your asking, might as well be cheeky and ask for business over cattle class.

Visa costs they have to pay anyway, and you wouldn't want to work for a company that even thought about asking you to pay the legal fees.

The last two are taking the piss unless your really high up the food chain, but nothing ventured nothing gained, though they'll probably laugh at that.

MsElui

we generally were given a cash lump sum to cover the costs you describe (although it was up to us how we spent it).
It was 'protected' so we will be covered for any tax due on it.
It was supposed to cover:
Discovery/Familiarisation visit prior to relocation for family
Replacement of non-transferable goods (electrical goods etc)
Initial hotel
Vehicle Rental
Recompense for cost of driving tests, licences etc

Obviously things like health insurance isnt in the lump sum - for us its subsidised quite heavily and so far seems to be excellent.

Continuation of UK Employment T&C’s e.g. notice period, holiday allocation, sickness benefit, pension etc - yes

Return flights to UK IF family at home sick in contract

these items were paid for entirely by the company.
Packing and shipping of belongings plus Sea Container & Air Freight
One way flights for relocation
Tax preparation (first and last years of relocation)
All costs associated with visas

General assistance in setting up new bank accounts, utilities, social security numbers etc. This was given by the compoany hiring a relocation company who assigned us a lady who helped us with whatever we wanted.

Philgr

Seem like the top end of relo packages but you may as well ask - depends on your value, bargaining power and industry as to whether you will get them. I don't know what type of visa you are on but you should also think about what happens when you don't want to work for the company you are with or they don't want you anymore. I had relocation back to the UK with a similar package of costs covered for all forms of termination (including my resigning) on my first stint out here. It's tough to get stuck working for someone you can't stand because you can't afford to leave the country as an employee tied visa would require if you quit.

JAJ

For an inter-company transfer:

1. Reasonable. Assuming the U.K. organization is not going to hold open your job for you, the contract should also discuss severance terms if there is not a mutually agreeable position available for you at the end of your U.S. assignment.

2 & 3. Reasonable.

4. Should be covered in a flat rate allowance (eg one or two month's salary, normally with employer settling the tax liability).

5. Reasonable, although you may only be offered the same as what is given to U.S. employees.

6. Should include both U.K. and U.S. tax preparation throughout assignment plus tax planning services.

7. Unreasonable to expect such a long period of time, without at least making some contribution yourself to the costs. Presumably they expect you to buy vehicles in the U.S.

You should be thinking in terms of what is the situation if you have to resell vehicles at a loss, either in the U.K. before leaving, or in the U.S. when your assignment ends.

8. Should be covered in flat rate allowance. Not recommended to be overly fussy about minor issues.

9. Unreasonable. If rental property is available in the area, they should normally expect you to have found somewhere and be ready to move in as soon as your goods arrive, no more than 3 months usually.
For something like this, the key principle is that you should not have to "pay double" - ie, simultaneously pay accommodation costs in two countries.

10 & 11. Reasonable. Are they agreeing to business class flights?
As someone else noted, there should be something to deal with family emergencies.

12. Reasonable. Don't ask them to pay for passports, though.
They should be willing to pay for a spouse EAD (if L visa).

13. Reasonable. They would normally outsource this to a relocation expert.

14. Reasonable, but that may cover some of the items above.

15. Very important.

16. Unreasonable - remember, presumably there is no "break" in getting your wages/salary, in that you switch from one payroll to another.

Things to consider:

a. Social Security Agreement between U.K. and U.S.
Will you have to pay U.S. Social Security Tax and/or will you still pay U.K. National Insurance.

b. Are you expected to rent or purchase property in the U.S.? What is the plan for your U.K. property?

c. Vacation. Will you have U.S. or U.K. vacation entitlement

d. University fees. How old are your children. If teenagers, will they go to university in the U.S. and if so, who pays the excess fees over those charged to residents? If they go back to university in the U.K. they may still be charged international fees (despite being British citizens, again, who will pay the excess?)

e. Is your salary going to be sterling translated to U.S. dollars, or based entirely in U.S. dollars? Who is bearing any foreign exchange risk?

f. Repatriation. What are the arrangements for repatriation at the end of your assignment? What happens if you leave early (other than for reason of gross misconduct?)

g. Is this intended to be a permanent move? If so, what's the plan and timescale for a Green Card? Which employment based preference will you qualify under? If you get a Green Card, what would be the transition towards a "local" U.S. contract?

h. If you are on an L visa spouse will be allowed to work, but will spouse easily be able to find employment (qualification recognition etc). Children will not be allowed to work while on L status, is this a problem?

lochdaz-of-blantyre

Thanks Soooooo Much everyone!!! Outstanding feedback. I get that some of them are a little too much but we're at the early stages of negotiation so I figured Don't ask Don't get and they can only come down from there.

Some comments...

Agreed..but if I don't ask I won't get.

Good point I'll add it to the discussions...

Agreed but as you say nothing ventured. The company absolutely want me, they've made it clear they really need me so if they are that desperate I might as well aim high to start negotiations. I realise some of them are taking the piss.

Can you tell me what Visa you needed to be on to get this and how it worked? Are you technically still a UK employee?

Whooo! Thats a cracker! I reckon I might aim for that also.

Great feedback!

Any advice on what to aim for?

We ultimately plan to buy in the US, rent initially. UK will be rented initially then subject to how the market looks, maybe sell.

Jnr is only 18months old but good point!

No idea at this stage, any suggestions?

Someone else mentioned this, I think its a great one to aim for.

As long as we're happy!

OK, but can Kids go to school?

Cheers again,
Daz

MsElui

we got an L1a/L2's but husband had to have worked for them 1 year in the uk first.
kids can go to school but not work. if junior is under 2 then forget the uni fees - the L1a cant be renewed beyond 7 years (but you can convert to green card) spouse can apply for ead to work.

Husband has uk holiday, sick, redundancy etc but is paid in american dollars.
he pays US tax but english NI (i think).

As and when we convert to a green card - all the above would stop and he would revert to 'local' terms and conditions (im guessing some room for negotiation) and would no longer have the paid return home available - as their would be no assignment to end.

Ray

A good package for the Middle East ..
Unlikely for the US ..

lochdaz-of-blantyre

Thanks for that. I've been with this firm for years so thats no issue. The move is actually a big promotion so it should be a good offer when it comes back.

Cheers,
Darren

NC Penguin

What is reasonable and what you can get depends on a lot of factors.

1) depends on your industry/field
2) if you are the only person being considered for the job. If you are not, your employer may choose to transfer/relocate the employee with the cheaper relocation package.
3) if you have specialist skills or a lot of experience, this will give you bargaining power.

If you work for a big employer (multinational or has an office in the country/region of the country where you may be heading), there may be a relocation firm involved in assisting you once you have arrived.

Big D

we got all that - plus car and accomodation, the electrical example was covered by a lump sum payments. We get business class flights and flights in event of family emergency. There is an insurance deductible but that is reimbursed.

Depends if this is a permanent move or a secondment - if the latter then should be OK, if permanent then some of it is probably a bit excessive.

Best of luck!

Jerseygirl

It was also agreed if at any time in the first 5 yrs we wanted to return home the firm would pay all expenses.