Lab Relocation Information – MIT Department of Chemistry

For Questions Regarding:

The laboratory move and facilities: contact Rich Wilk, Administrative Officer.
Postdoc/visiting student/international student appointments, travel arrangements, reimbursements, miscellaneous contact Shannon Wagner, Senior HR Representative.
Graduate student/TA appointments, academic transfers, enrollment: contact Jennifer Weisman, Academic Administrator.
Safety training: contact Rick Kayser, Environment, Health and Safety Coordinator.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion: contact EmmaLee Pallai, DEI Officer.

FAQs:

What direct/indirect moving costs are going to be covered?

MIT will directly cover the cost of the movers (including supplies, which will be provided to you by the movers).

MIT will reimburse for one apartment-hunting trip (lasting no more than 2-3 days) and the expenses related to your physical move. This includes roundtrip economy airfare, taxi/Uber/Lyft charges, public transit, parking, tolls, personal car mileage (or gas, if renting), rental car, and $100/person for meals (total for trip). More details below.

If renting a car, MIT will not reimburse for added insurance. (If you book a rental through Shannon Wagner, insurance will be included.)

If you are unsure if an expense can be reimbursed, please contact Shannon and she will let you know.

How should we arrange our apartment-hunting trip to Boston? Do we have to book that through MIT Chemistry or can we get reimbursed for our own travel arrangements?

You can book your own travel arrangements and submit the receipts to Shannon Wagner for reimbursement. We will reimburse roundtrip economy airfare, public transit costs, taxi/Uber/Lyft charges, parking, and hotel costs (room and tax only), and meals.

If you plan to drive to Boston for your apartment search, we will reimburse your personal car mileage at a rate of 65.5 cents per mile in addition to tolls and parking (MIT’s travel policy does not allow for gas reimbursement if using a non-rented car).

If you do not have a car but wish to drive, we will reimburse you for a rental. Please note that if you rent a car, MIT will reimburse you for gas, tolls, and any parking.

If you have a partner or spouse who will be relocating with you, we will also reimburse their travel and meals for an apartment-hunting trip (even if they are not currently living with you).

*Please note that, per MIT’s travel policy, travel expenses cannot be reimbursed until the trip is complete. If you do not wish to front the costs yourself and wait for reimbursement, please contact Shannon so that she can make arrangements for you on the MIT credit card.

What do I need to submit for reimbursement? How long does reimbursement take?

Please submit receipts for all expenses you wish to have reimbursed as well as your current mailing address. If you are requesting reimbursement for meals, we need the itemized receipt. It takes 1-2 weeks from the date the reimbursement request is submitted to Accounts Payable for payment to arrive. Payment will be issued in the form of a check.

**If you are unsure whether or not an expense can be reimbursed, please ask Shannon Wagner.

Do I need to rent a truck or hire movers myself?

What type of moving service is being arranged?

We will hire a moving company that specifically handles laboratory and household relocations. They will move laboratory equipment and chemicals in the lab and your household belongings.

We have hired a moving coordinator (Jennifer Perault with Avison Young) to help strategize the move and make sure everything goes smoothly. Jennifer has coordinated moves for us in the past, including the Freedman lab move, and she is highly skilled at organizing large-scale laboratory moves.

Will the movers provide packing supplies?

Will the movers come to my current residence on moving day or do I need to move my belongings to a central staging point? Will they move my belongings directly to my new apartment?