Rule 126-1-03 | Reimbursement of interviewing and relocation expenses.
(A) Interviewing travel expenses
A state agency may reimburse within the reimbursement rates and terms allowed by this rule the interviewing travel expenses of a person who is interviewing for a position identified in division (A) of section 126.32 of the Revised Code.
(1) Reimbursable expenses
The following interviewing travel expenses may be reimbursed:
(a) Transportation expenses for the same expenses and at the same rates and terms as those authorized for reimbursement to state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(b) Meal and incidental expenses at the same rates and terms as those authorized for reimbursement to state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(c) Lodging expenses if the residence of the person interviewing is more than forty-five miles from the interview site at the same rates and terms as those authorized for reimbursement to state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(2) Obtaining reimbursement of interviewing expenses
To reimburse interviewing expenses, the agency conducting the interview must:
(a) Obtain from the person being interviewed a statement itemizing expenses for travel, meals, and lodging;
(b) Obtain from the person being interviewed receipts for every expense that reimbursement is sought under this rule; and
(c) Within sixty days of the interview, submit to the office of budget and management a voucher with the statement itemizing interviewing expenses, all required receipts, and a position description, personnel action, or job posting indicating that the position for which the person is interviewing is a position identified in division (A) of section 126.32 of the Revised Code. This time frame may be extended by the head of the interviewing state agency or his/her designee if mitigating circumstances exist, but in no case may this time frame exceed one hundred twenty days from the date of the last expense incurred.
(3) Interviewing expenses may not be directly billed to the state agency.
(4) The approval of the voucher for the interviewing expenses constitutes the agency's certification of the propriety and reasonableness of the reimbursement of the interviewing expenses.
(5) At no time shall a person claim or be reimbursed more than his/her actual expenses.
(B) Relocation expenses
(1) A state agency may reimburse within the reimbursement rates and terms allowed by this rule the moving, temporary living, and travel expenses of a person who is appointed to a position identified in division (B) of section 126.32 of the Revised Code if the appointment requires a permanent change of residence.
(2) Reimbursable expenses
The following moving, temporary living, and travel expenses may be reimbursed:
(a) The actual and necessary expenses of moving the appointee and the members of the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household to the new location, including:
(i) The expenses of moving the household goods and personal effects of the appointee and of the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household from the former residence to the new residence.
"Household goods and personal effects" include but are not limited to household furnishings, appliances, clothing, household pets, and/or personal automobiles. Any items for use in the operation of a business are not considered to be "household goods and personal effects" and shall not be moved at state expense.
(ii) The actual cost of in-transit storage if the expense is necessary and reasonable.
(iii) Expenses incurred to move the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household from the former residence to the new residence. All expenses shall be at the same rate and terms as transportation expenses authorized for reimbursement to state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(iv) Meal and incidental expenses incurred during the move for the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household, including the day that the appointee's furniture is removed from the former residence and the day that the furniture arrives at the new location at the same rate and terms as those established for reimbursement to state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(v) Lodging expenses for the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household if an overnight stay is required during the move, including the day that the appointee's furniture is removed from the former residence until the day that the furniture arrives at the new location at the same rate and terms as those established for reimbursement to state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(vi) If the appointee is appointed to a position in a foreign office under section 122.05 of the Revised Code, the actual and necessary expenses of storing the appointee's household goods and personal effects and those of the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household for all or part of the time the new job location remains the appointee's main job location and upon completion of the assignment, the actual and necessary expenses of moving the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household, back to the United States.
(b) Temporary living expenses incurred by the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household until the appointee moves his/her permanent residence to the new location but not for a period that exceeds thirty consecutive days. Temporary living expenses that may be reimbursed are:
(i) Lodging expenses at the same reimbursement rates and terms authorized for state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(ii) Meals and incidental expenses at the same reimbursement rates and terms authorized for state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(iii) Reasonable miscellaneous living expenses at the same reimbursement rates and terms authorized for state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(iv) Except for those appointees appointed to a position in a foreign office under section 122.05 of the Revised Code, transportation expenses at the same reimbursement rates authorized for state agents in accordance with rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code for the appointee between the new location and the former residence limited to the rate of one trip for each seven days that the appointee receives temporary living expenses. Members of the appointee's family are not eligible for reimbursement of transportation expenses during this period.
(v) With prior written approval of the director budget and management, a state agency may extend the period of time for temporary living expenses under this paragraph for a person appointed to a position under section 122.05 of the Revised Code for a reasonable amount of time as determined by the director.
(3) Obtaining reimbursement of moving and temporary living and related travel expenses
(a) For an appointee to be reimbursed for moving expenses:
(i) The appointee must obtain three written price quotations of actual and necessary moving and storage expenses;
(ii) The appointee must submit the three written price quotations, the invoice for moving and storage, and all receipts for every expense that reimbursement is sought to the appointing state agency; and
(iii) Within sixty days of the date that the household goods and personal effects of the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household arrived at the appointee's new residence the appointing agency must submit to the office of budget and management a voucher with the three written price quotations, the invoice for moving and storage, all required receipts, and a position description, personnel action, or job posting indicating that the appointee was appointed to a position identified in division (B) of section 126.32 of the Revised Code. This time frame may be extended by the head of the state agency or his/her designee if mitigating circumstances exist, but in no case may this time frame exceed one hundred twenty days from the date that the household goods and personal effects arrived at the appointee's new residence.
(iv) Moving and storage of household goods and personal effects shall be reimbursed at actual cost but not more than the lowest responsive and responsible written price quotation.
(b) For an appointee to be reimbursed for meal, lodging, travel or temporary living expenses, the appointing agency must:
(i) Obtain from the appointee a statement itemizing expenses for meals, lodging, and transportation or temporary living expenses;
(ii) Obtain from the appointee receipts for every expense that reimbursement is sought under this rule; and
(iii) Within sixty days of the last expense incurred under this paragraph, submit to the office of budget and management a voucher with the statement itemizing expenses, all required receipts, and a position description, personnel action, or job posting indicating that the appointee was appointed to a position identified in division (B) of section 126.32 of the Revised Code. This time frame may be extended by the head of the state agency or his/her designee if mitigating circumstances exist, but in no case may this time frame exceed one hundred twenty days from the date of the last expense incurred.
(c) With prior approval of the office of budget and management, moving and temporary living expenses may be directly billed to the appointing agency pursuant to this paragraph. Arrangements for direct billing must be made by the appointee with the appointing state agency prior to the appointee incurring any expense. Any reimbursable moving and temporary living expenses that are not directly billed are eligible for reimbursement as described in this rule. With the agreement of the appointing state agency, the following expenses may be billed by the service provider directly to the appointing state agency:
(i) Charges for moving and storage of household goods and personal effects of the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household.
(ii) Air fare for travel from the former residence to the new residence for the appointee and the appointee's immediate family residing in the appointee's household.
(iii) Other expenses for which the appointing state agency obtains prior permission from the state accounting section of the office of budget and management to directly bill the expense to the state agency.
(d) The approval of the voucher for the expenses constitutes the appointing agency's certification of the propriety and reasonableness of the reimbursement of the moving, temporary living, and travel expenses.
(C) Non-reimbursable expenses
A state agency shall not reimburse a person being interviewed or appointed under this rule for those expenses defined as "non-reimbursable travel expense" pursuant to rule 126-1-02 of the Administrative Code.
(D) Within the limitations of section 126.32 of the Revised Code, exceptions may be requested by submitting a written request to the director of budget and management by the head of a state agency or his/her designee prior to the expense being incurred. Other exceptions may be granted upon a written request submitted to the director of budget and management by the head of a state agency or his/her designee prior to the expense being incurred or, at the director's discretion, after the expense has been incurred. No exception shall remain in effect for more than one fiscal year.
(E) Amendment to this rule
An amendment to this rule applies to an interview or relocation that occurs on or after the effective date of the amendment.
Last updated May 12, 2022 at 11:57 AM
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