Ask the Business Coach Joyce K. Reynolds is an expert Business Coach who works with CEOs, Sr. Execs, entrepreneurs and countless others providing knowledge, solutions, motivation and support that assist her clientele in successfully meeting workplace challenges. Find out more about Joyce's coaching practice. Relocating Question: I work for a company in NH and they are relocating to FL (Orlando) they have asked me to go. What is the standard in companies offers for relocating employee's? (particularly single parents) Paula Answer: Relocation packages vary from company to company and, typically, depend on the level of the transferring individual and their length of service to the organization. Since your company has asked you to move with them, it's appropriate to expect that they will provide a package for some if not all of your moving expenses. The single parent aspect of any such package will depend on the family-friendly nature of your company's policy. The best thing to do in preparing for a negotiation along these lines is to develop a thorough and accurate estimate of what your costs will be so you can be prepared to request assistance with such items as: house-hunting trips; house buy-out; realtor fees and closing costs at both ends; packers/movers/storage relative to your household goods; if necessary, a temporary housing allowance (30-60 days); school-finding and cost-of-living assistance. You'll also want to ask about a gross-up to cover any tax liability you incur for any such relocation benefits. If you find that you are not eligible for this complete a relocation package, you can request a lump sum moving allotment, generally, between $3,000 to $5,000. (This is sometimes regarded as a front-end bonus.) In this case, be sure to ask when this sum will be paid so you will know what your up front out-of-pocket costs will be. Keep in mind while many companies try hard to treat transferring employees fairly, it's smart to expect some negotiation in the process. The more you know about what costs you will likely be incurring on both ends, the better able you will be to negotiate a good package for yourself. The objective, of course, is to come as close as possible to covering your costs totally or, at least, getting sufficient financial assistance that the transfer makes sense. Along those lines, before you begin any negotiation, determine what the move is worth to you in terms of any unreimbursed expenses you might incur. Once you establish those numbers, you'll be better able to say an informed 'yes' or 'no' to the relocation package your company is prepared to offer you. Also see: • Ask Joyce your workplace questions • More questions • One-on-one business coaching Disclaimer: The information in this column is intended to provide the reader with general ideas or concepts to be used as part of a broader base of knowledge they collect to determine their own best course of action and solutions most suitable for solving their workplace challenges. The information in this column is not guaranteed to be the appropriate solution for each individual.