Relocation Stipend Policy

Purpose

A one-time relocation stipend may be approved to successfully recruit a qualified candidate who will need to make a domiciliary move to accept an academic appointment or staff position.

Policy

The term “employee” as used in this policy includes full-time faculty, Supportive Professional Staff, Civil Service Employee on regular appointments, and full-time Coaching Staff. Civil Service employees must adhere to residency requirements as outlined by the State of Universities Civil Service System.

All Relocation Stipends must be authorized in advance, in writing, by the Chair, Department Head, Dean, or appropriate Vice President and are contingent upon availability of institutional and department funds. Stipends must be documented in writing to the employee via their contract or official offer letter. Contracts and offer letters must reference NIU’s Relocation Allowance Policy.

Relocation stipends should be offered only when it has been determined that it is in the best interest of NIU. The following factors should be considered:

• Availability of qualified candidates.
• Skills and qualifications of the candidate
• Geographic distance of relocation

If the hire does not meet the above eligibility factors, departments will be responsible for the full cost of the stipend.

Relocation stipends established at the institutional level and meeting the above eligibility factors are not to exceed $4,000.00. Request to offer a stipend beyond the institutional maximum should be made prior to the formal hiring of an employee to the President or their designee. Departments are responsible for funding allowances over the maximum amount and should use the same fund source in which the employee will be paid from.

Stipends for employees whose salaries are paid from general revenue funds (02 and 04) must be made from a general revenue fund. Employees paid from other fund sources, i.e., local funds, grants and contracts, bond revenue, must be paid from those sources. Payments from sponsored awards must follow current federal and state regulations. Consult the university Sponsored Programs Administration Office for guidance.

For a Relocation Stipend to be issued, employees must complete all Onboarding requirements.

Approved Relocation Stipends will be issued after all Onboarding requirements have been met by the hire.

The advance payment of a relocation stipend does not require receipts (employees are advised to retain all receipts for personal tax filing purposes) but requires the contract or offer letter be attached to the stipend payment request.

Relocation stipends are considered taxable income and are not considered wages for SURS purposes. The university is required to report relocation stipends as part of the employee’s total W-2 or wage information statement. To comply with these regulations’ stipends will be paid within the same calendar year of the effective new hire date. Additionally, NIU requires all moves to be closely related in time. As such, all moves must be completed within one year of an employee’s start date at the University or sooner if part of the State Universities Civil Service System, whichever comes first.

The university assumes that employees will reside in or near the DeKalb/Sycamore area, therefore moves should occur within a 60-mile radius of Dekalb campus. The university recognizes that circumstances may arise which might justify an exemption from this requirement. When they arise, the hiring official should write the Chief Human Resources Officers a justification to waive the 60-mile radius requirement for consideration. The Chief Human Resources Officer may make the final decision on waiving this requirement. Moves originating within a 60-mile radius of campus are not eligible for a stipend.

If within one year of the date of appointment the employee voluntarily terminates employment or engages in behavior that make termination of employment necessary, the full or partial amount of the stipend payment may be required to be repaid to the university as determined by the Chief Human Resource Officer. Employment offer letters must include notification of the repayment provisions.

An employee may not be required to repay a relocation stipend if they separate from employment within one year from their starting employment date with the university, and the separation was due to layoff, SURS disability, or some other reason that is beyond the control, of the employee, as determined by the Chief Human Resources Officer.