Moving

Household Moving Instructions

Welcome to the University of West Florida (UWF). We hope your move is safe and without incident. The following is information which should help you in selecting a method for moving your personal effects and property. This document also provides effective administrative information to you and your hiring department concerning cost advantages pertaining to your move.

Please do not make arrangements to move household goods until you receive an authorized UWF Request for Approval to Pay Moving Expenses notice. After approval, please refer to the list of Moving Vendors to obtain the moving company name, contact, and level of discount. Please keep in contact with your hiring department and the Office of Procurement and Contracts for any additional assistance and questions.

UWF will pay for the actual weight moved, not the estimated weight, and receive at no cost "Replacement Value Insurance" up to $100,000. The rate will be the discount indicated by all four vendors on the list of household Moving Vendors for the UF Contract‌. The only variable will be the weight estimate. We believe it is in UWF's best interest NOT to ask or require competing quotes since each vendor will charge for the actual weight moved. This contract does not allow for guaranteed or not-to-exceed estimates and it improves the end-user experience by reducing the wait time to select a vendor.

The payment of moving expenses, if approved, would normally be for the amount the department has agreed to pay, and is limited to:

moving the contents of a single residence; and
the cost of packing, shipping, and storing household goods (personal effects and property), or moving a mobile home (any vehicle used as a home), and incurring reasonable expenses for moving an automobile; and/or
moving up to 15,000 pounds of household goods by common carrier, rental truck or trailer, or a vehicle or boat, when preauthorized; and/or
the normal liability of the common carrier (approximately $.60/pound) unless a State University System contract mover is used; or
State University System contract negotiated rates; or
the approved payment for insurance for only the vehicle (not the contents) when using a rental vehicle or truck.

Due to the 2017 Tax Act, reimbursement for moving expenses will be reported as wages or other compensation on Form W-2. Employees/Applicants will receive the amount authorized less federal withholding tax of 22% and Social Security and Medicare taxes of 7.65%. Any reimbursement to be paid directly to a new employee for approved moving expenses, cannot be processed without submission of appropriate receipts and documentation. If seeking reimbursement, a Direct Pay Request Form must be submitted regardless of amount requested. Employee will be paid thru payroll. See also Direct Pay Guidelines on the Controller's Office web site.

If payment is going to be directly to the moving company then the hiring department will submit a Banner Requisition and an approved Request For Approval to Pay for Household Moving Expenses Form or prior to the move taking place. A UWF Purchase Order instructs the mover to submit a final bill of lading (invoice) and inventory list for payment directly to the attention of the UWF Controller's Office (hiring departments note paragraphs 4 and 8).

A Purchase Order number will be issued to the mover before the move can begin.

If the hiring department will be using their UWF PCard for payment, do not submit the "Request for Approval to Pay for Household Moving Expenses Form" to Procurement. For payments paid via PCard please forward copies of PCard receipts and a copy of the Request For Approval to Pay for Household Moving Expenses Form to the Controller's Office. The amount paid to the third party on the employee's behalf will be added to the employees wages as a non-cash payment. We are still required to collect Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Income tax on the value of the payment. Since the amount is a non-cash the required withholding will be collected from the employees net pay for the period. Hiring department will retain the form as backup to the PCard charge.

Due to significant volume discounts, applicants are required to use Moving Vendors based on prior negotiated rates which will significantly aid in a reduced cost of moving your personal belongings.

The payment of expenses for separately moving professional equipment and books necessary for job performance and which have been approved to be housed at UWF is not part of this program.

Payment will not be authorized for the following:

expenses associated with unpacking of household goods or cleaning of any residence in connection with a move;
late charges;
individual travel and/or per diem or taxi fees as part of a moving expense; and,
the cost of replacement insurance on household goods - UWF recommends that the employees/prospective employees consider purchasing replacement cost insurance on his/her household goods even though this cost will not be reimbursed.

The approval is valid for 90 days after the anticipated move date specified on the form. The move should take place within that time. After the move, submit any receipts or invoices to the hiring department.