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1213 - Long Term Storage

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Contents

Introduction

  1. The Government provides assistance to employees with long-term storage benefits for up to three years.

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Application

  1. These guidelines and procedures apply to all employees except casual employees, substitute teachers and employees of the NWT Power Corporation.

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Definitions

  1. Moving company means the company contracted to move an employee's personal effects.
  2. Storage company means the company contracted to provide long-term storage services.
  3. Effects include the furniture, household goods and equipment and personal effects of an employee and his/her dependants at the time of his/her move but does not include automobiles, boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, trailers, animals, or foodstuffs.  When a continuing employee is moved from one community to another within the Northwest Territories (NWT), he/she may include in his/her effects all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and foodstuffs.

The NWT Teachers' Association (NWTTA) Collective Agreement uses the term household effects and does not contain a provision for continuing employees moving within the NWT.

  1. Removal administrator is the Government officer in the Department of Finance who is designated to co-ordinate and administers removals.

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Guidelines

  1. Where necessary, the Deputy Head of a Department, Board or Agency may authorize the long-term storage of an employee’s effects at the nearest commercial storage facility.  Long-term storage will not exceed three years without the approval of the Employer.
  2. To apply for an extension, the employee must write to the Deputy Minister of the Department of Finance.  The Deputy Minister may approve applications for extensions.
  3. The Government does not pay to insure effects that are in storage.  The employee must arrange and pay insurance costs.
  4. The cost to move effects out of storage is the responsibility of the employee.
  5. If an employee receiving long-term storage benefits moves to a new community, the Government moves the employee’s effects out of storage and into the new community of employment.
  6. The contract between the Government and the storage company becomes null and void at the end of the three-year storage period.
  7. Effects going into storage are part or the employee's total weight entitlement under the removal guidelines.  The weight the employee is entitled to put into storage at the Government's cost is calculated using this formula:
    1. Maximum weight entitlement less weight shipped to new work location;
    2. Maximum weight entitlement is the weight entitlement for an employee moving into unfurnished accommodation;
    3. Weight shipped to new work location is the actual weight shipped up to the employee’s entitlement to ship to his/her new community of employment when moving into furnished accommodation; and
    4. Weight entitlements differ depending on the employee’s bargaining unit and dependent status.  See Section 1214 Relocation Expenses on Initial Appointment and Subsequent Moves as an Employee.

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Procedures

  1. The removal administrator discusses the need for storage with the employee at the same time arrangements for the employee’s move are being made.
  2. The removal administrator calculates the maximum weight the employee is eligible to put into storage at the Government's expense.
  3. The removal administrator advises the employee of the maximum weight entitlement for storage purposes that the Government will pay storage costs for a maximum of three years.  The employee is responsible for paying any costs for insuring the goods in storage.
  4. The removal administrator advises the moving company of the requirement for storage and the maximum weight allowance for storage by writing the information on the removal estimate and authorization form when the arrangements are being made to move the employee's personal effects.
  5. The removal administrator also advises the moving company that the Government will pay the costs for storage of the effects for a maximum of three years, and that the employee is responsible for insuring the goods in storage.  This information is also written on the removal estimate and authorization form when the removal administrator is requesting the estimate for the employee's move.
  6. The removal administrator brings forward a note 45 days before the Government's responsibility for the employee's storage is going to end.  This is to ensure notice of storage expiry is given in a timely manner.
  7. Written notice will be sent to employees who are receiving long term storage benefits in April of each year advising of:
    1. the monthly cost of long term storage; and
    2. the time remaining for which the Government will pay storage cost.
  8. Thirty days before a long term storage contract is due to run out, the removal administrator advises the employee and the storage company, in writing, that the Government's responsibility for paying storage costs is about to end.
  9. The employee has two options:
    1. remove the goods from the storage company; or
    2. negotiate a storage contract with the storage company and leave the goods in storage.
  10. The removal administrator keeps copies of all correspondence and invoices related to long-term storage in the employee's removal/storage file.
  11. The removal administrator pays all invoices for storage of the employee's personal effects.  Each time an invoice is paid, the removal administrator checks the employee’s storage end date to ensure the Government's responsibility has not ended.

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Authorities and References

Main Collective Agreement with UNW
Article 43.04 (e)

Collective Agreement with NWTTA
Article B3.04 (f)

Senior Managers' Handbook
Long Term Storage

Excluded Employees' Handbook
Long Term Storage

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