Relocation policy for public servants

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Introduction

This document comes in 2 parts.

Part 1 sets out the Jersey Public Services policy and procedure regarding Relocation. 

Part 2 sets out the procedure, setting out how to implement the policy with links to toolkit items to give you more information. The procedure is intended as a guide only and may change or be varied from time to time.

This policy and procedure supersedes all circulars and policies regarding relocation within the public service. 

Code of practice and policy family

This policy forms part of the code of practice for reward and benefits. This code will be reviewed at the start of each term of States Employment Board, or earlier where relevant legislation or regulations change.

Relocation policy

Policy purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide information and guidance to you about the support we offer if you relocate to Jersey to take up employment with the Government of Jersey.

We understand that occasionally we may not always be able to fulfil all roles on-Island and when this is the case we will look to recruit the skills and experience we need off-Island.

Policy principles

This policy aims to:

• ensure everyone is treated in a fair and consistent way
• be clearly written and easy to understand
• attract and recruit the best people to deliver the highest level of service to our customers
  
• set out the relocation package that we will offer to those colleagues who join us from off-Island locations, to support their move to Jersey and make it as smooth and hassle free as possible
  

Policy scope

This policy applies to all employees on a permanent or non-permanent contract of employment who are eligible for a relocation package, in accordance with this policy. Refer to the eligibility section for more information.

Whilst this is a Government of Jersey policy, it applies to employees, office holders of the States of Jersey and members of the States of Jersey Police Force employed by the States’ Employment Board. Any references to the Government of Jersey or the States of Jersey means the wider, non-executive arm of the Government.

This policy applies to all medical staff except for the following, who should take advice from the Medical Staffing team:

• Resident Doctors 
  
• Resident Doctors locum appointment for service (LAS)
  
• Clinical Fellows
  

Eligibility

To be eligible for a relocation package under this policy, you must:

• be a newly appointed full-time permanent employee, or full-time employee on a fixed term contract of 18 months or more. A full-time post must be more than 25 hours per week to meet the Population Office's eligibility criteria for Licensed Status
  
• be appointed to a licensed post with the Government of Jersey. The term licensed is one of 4 statuses determined by the Population Office. If the post that you applied for has licensed status then this means that you are an essential employee and it has not been possible to fill the vacancy locally. Find more information on residential and employment statuses and what they mean. You can​ find information on eligible partners in the Control of Housing and Work Regulations 2023 on Jersey Law
• currently live off the Island of Jersey
• have agreed to pay ba​ck a proportion of the cost of the relocation package if it falls due in accordance with this policy

If your status, as defined by the Population Office, is entitled but you are living away from Jersey and you applied for a licensed post, then you are also eligible for the relocation package. However, if you have applied for a non-licensed post then you will not be entitled to the relocation package.

The procedure

A Government of Jersey relocation package comprises of 3 elements:

• relocation support​
  
• relocation removals service and

• relocation payment
  

Where your spouse or eligible partner is also commencing employment with the Government of Jersey, and meets the criteria set out above, they will not be eligible for a second full relocation package, but they will be entitled to the relocation payment.

Relocation support

We want to make relocation as easy as possible for you and will provide you with practical, tailored relocation support through our relocation partners as part of your relocation package. The relocation support has been designed to welcome you to Jersey and introduce you to island life. Individual services within the relocation support cannot be exchanged for monetary value.

One of our relocation support partners will contact you to discuss the support they can offer. Some of the services include an initial orientation, support in finding a home and assistance with the administration of your move.

For further information on the service and what is available, please​ see our relocation support package.

You are strongly advised to seek independent tax advice before relocating to Jersey to ensure you understand any personal tax implications.

Relocation removals service

To help you move to Jersey and start your employment with us, we will provide and pay for the cost of your removal to the Island, at a maximum amount of £5,000. This is in line with what is eligible for removal, listed in the eligible removal items. This needs to be taken within 12 months of your employment start date. Amounts exceeding £5,000 will need approval by the departmental Chief Officer, or delegate.

If you are living outside of the UK, the full cost of your removals is usually restricted to the cost from the point of entry into the UK, however, discretion can be applied by a departmental Chief Officer or delegate, for example, where there is a skills shortage and recruitment has been targeted outside of UK.

Relocation will be provided by a Government of Jersey appointed removals supplier, who will relocate the contents of your current residence to your new home in Jersey. Further information and guidance on this will be provided through our operational recruitment team.

We will also pay for the cost of travel to the Island at the time of your relocation for you, your partner and any dependants. If you are relocating a car to the island, it is at this point that you should relocate it, travelling by ferry with the car. The cost of relocating a car at a later date is not covered by this policy.

Relocation payment

Your relocation package will also include a one-off relocation payment of £5,000 which will be paid to you with your first month’s salary and is subject to income tax and social security deductions. There is no restriction to what this sum can be used for in respect of your relocation.

Travelling to Jersey once you have accepted a job offer (accommodation visit)

Should you be offered and accept a role with the Government of Jersey, we will offer flights and accommodation for you, your partner, and any dependent children to visit Jersey. This will be limited to one visit of up to 2 nights on a bed and breakfast basis and should be booked through our preferred travel provider. This will form part of your general orientation which will be supported by our relocation partners and may include viewings of shortlisted properties.

If you are living outside of the UK, we will usually only pay the costs of return travel from the UK to Jersey for the purposes of this visit. However, Chief Officers, or their delegate can apply discretion where the travel is from outside of the UK, for example, where there is a skills shortage and recruitment has been targeted outside of the UK.

Fixed term cont​racts of less than 18 months

If you are recruited on a fixed term contract of less than 18 months then you are not eligible for the relocation package outlined in this policy.

Rental allowance

If you are employed on a fixed term contract of less than 18 months and have retained and are continuing to pay towards your primary home outside of Jersey, you will be eligible for a rental allowance of £500 per month in order to contribute towards the cost of renting a home in Jersey. However, you will not be entitled to receive both the rental allowance and access the subsidised accommodation as outlined within the key worker accomodation policy. If you are offered and accept temporary or transitional accommodation as outlined in the key worker accommodation policy​, then the rental allowance will no longer be payable. ​

This will be paid to you with your salary each month and will be subject to income tax deductions. 

Travel allowance

If you have retained and are continuing to pay towards your primary home outside of Jersey, you will also be eligible for a travel allowance of £1,500 per annum to be used towards the cost of travel to and from your principal home.

This will be paid to you with your salary each month, in equal monthly payments based on £1,500 divided by 12 months. This allowance will be subject to income tax deductions.

Confirming eligibility

In order to confirm your eligibility for rental and travel allowance you must provide your line manager with written evidence of the fact that you have retained and are continuing to pay towards your primary home outside of Jersey.

Extension of fixed term contracts

If a fixed term contact of less than 18 months is subsequently extended beyond 18 months, then eligibility to continue to receive the rental and travel allowance will be reviewed by the Chief Officer, or delegate. Consideration should be given to the circumstances and reasons for extending.

A fixed term contract should only be issued when the role is required for a defined and time limited period. Fixed term contracts cannot be applied retrospectively to permanent roles.

Payback of relocation package

Permanent employe​es

If you withdraw before starting employment or the offer is withdrawn due to unsatisfactory clearances, you will be required to pay back in full any relocation payment ma​de in advance.

If you resign or are dismissed other than by way of compulsory redundancy, you will be required to pay back in whole or in part the cost of your relocation package on a sliding scale. This includes both:

• the amount paid by us in relocation removals
• the net value of the relocation payment which was paid to you via your first month's salary and therefore would have been subject to income tax and social security deductions
  

Sliding scale

Fixed term contract of 18 months or more

If you complete the full duration of your fixed term contract, you will not be required to repay any part of the relocation package. At the end of your contract, the Chief Officer or their delegate has discretion to pay towards any removal costs between Jersey and the UK in-line with the items listed in the eligible removal items​. This support must be used within your notice period. All removals will be arranged through the employer’s appointed removals supplier. 

If, following the completion of a fixed term contract, you are subsequently appointed to a permanent role, you will no longer be eligible for any of the benefits outlined in this policy.  

If your fixed term contract is subsequently extended past the original period that you were appointed for, you will only be liable for payback of the relocation package (as per the sliding scale shown below) on the original period of the contract. Therefore, if you have fulfilled the full period of your original fixed term contract of 18 months or more then you will not be required to pay back any of the relocation package.

If you are employed on a fixed term contract of 18 months or more and resign, or are dismissed from your employment by the Government of Jersey prior to the end of your contract, you will be required to repay the cost of your relocation package on a sliding scale, to include both:

• the amount paid by us in relocation removals
  
• the net value of the relocation payment which was paid to you via your first month's salary and therefore would have been subject to income tax deductions and social security deductions
  

Sliding scale

Roles and responsibilities

Employees

If you fall within the scope of this policy, you are required to adhere to its terms.

Line managers

You are responsible for ensuring this policy is applied within your department and that any approval for recruiting posts is agreed, along with any additional costs associated with the licenced element of the post are approved. For example, the cost of the relocation package, or for fixed term contracts of less than 18 months, the cost of rental and travel allowances. 

You must ensure that a relocation package is not offered to a potential employee without formal approval, and that no funds are transferred to the employee until the relocation policy and payback terms have been agreed to by the employee.​

People Services operational recruitment team ​

The operational recruitment team are responsible for:

• providing advice in respect of this policy
  
• liaising with the removals supplier and the relocation support service providers as required in relation to their contractual requirements​
  

Confidentiality​​​

We all have a right to confidentiality throughout this procedure. Read our confidentiality toolkit for more guidance.

Confidentiality​

Glossary​​

See our glossary of terms for definitions or explanations.

People policies glossary

Other related policies o​r documents

The following policies or information related t​o this policy: 

• K​eyworker Accomm​odation policy
• Recruitment and selection policy​
  
• Living in Je​rsey