Whether you're moving for work or you're coordinating a move for an employee (or several employees), planning an employee relocation can be challenging. Our Complete Guide to Employee Relocation will answer all your biggest questions about relocating employees, from what costs are covered in a relocation package and what employee relocation companies can do to help to how to ask for a relocation package.
Jump to:
1. Before You Write Your Letter
Discover what you need to know before you start writing your relocation assistance request letter or email.
2. Writing Your Relocation Assistance Request Email or Letter
Get our advice for drafting your relocation assistance request letter or email.
i. Sample letter or email asking for relocation expenses
ii. Sample letter or email negotiating for additional relocation expenses
When you accept a position in a new city, state, or country, the next step is deciding how you’ll get there. That means you’ll need to figure out how to ask for relocation assistance if it isn’t already being offered, or how to negotiate your relocation package if it doesn’t include the things you need.
In this section of the Complete Guide to Employee Relocation, we’ll take a closer look at how to ask for relocation assistance from your current employer, including both a sample email or letter asking for relocation expenses, and a sample letter or email asking for additional relocation expenses.
Let’s begin.
Before you write your letter or email requesting relocation assistance
The first step in negotiating a relocation package is to find out what type of assistance is typically offered by the company. Compensation varies across industry, city, company, and even position. Try these tactics to discover what might be included:
- Get in touch with your HR department and ask for a copy of the company’s written relocation policy or details regarding standard relocation benefits.
- Reach out to other employees who have recently moved to ask about their relocation packages.
- Ask your friends or other contacts in your field about their experiences or their companies' policies to find out what is considered standard.
Writing your letter or email requesting relocation assistance
Once you have gathered some information about what is included in a standard relocation package for someone with your experience level in your field, you can figure out what exactly you might need assistance with—and what to ask your employer to include.
With a clear vision of what you need from your relocation package, it’s time to draft a letter that either requests that relocation assistance be included in the package or negotiates for additional items to be added to the allowance. Some tips:
- You may need to explain or justify why you need a specific item, such as a higher cost of living in a new town. Thinking through your rationale before you make your request can help alleviate nerves and speed up the negotiation process.
- Try to outline how these items benefit both you and your employer (i.e., “I will be able to work longer hours if I have my childcare needs taken care of from the beginning.”)
- If you find your employer is hesitant to negotiate anything you’re asking for in addition to their written policy for fear of setting a precedent, consider adjusting the language you’re using. For example, you could call it a “signing bonus” rather than part of your relocation package.
A sample letter or email asking for relocation expenses
Start with this sample letter when asking for relocation expenses to be covered. It’s easy to adjust to include the expenses you want covered.
NOTE: For letters, include your name and mailing address in the top left corner of the page.
For emails, use an appropriate subject line, such as “Request for Relocation Expense Coverage” or “Regarding Relocation Package.”
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[Addressed to supervisor, manager, or HR contact as appropriate,] I’m writing to you today to request that my employment package be expanded to include relocation expenses. I believe assisting with the costs of my relocation will benefit both of us. Having the details of my move taken care of will make it easier for me to hit the ground running, creating a smooth transition for both the company and myself so that my productivity and the productivity of my new team is impacted as little as possible. These are items that standard relocation packages typically include that I request be added to my offer: [List of items you are requesting with rationale, including things such as:
Thank you, [Your name] |
A sample letter or email negotiating for additional relocation expenses
If you’re contacting your employer to ask for additional items to be included in your relocation package, use the template below and adjust it as needed.
NOTE: For letters, include your name and mailing address in the top left corner of the page.
For emails, use an appropriate subject line, such as “Request for Additional Relocation Expense Coverage” or “Regarding Relocation Package.”
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[Addressed to supervisor, manager, or HR contact as appropriate,] I’m emailing you today to negotiate my employment package and request to have it expanded to include additional relocation expenses. Having these details of my move taken care of will make it easier for me to hit the ground running, creating a smooth transition into my new role, and reducing any impact on my productivity and the productivity of my team. I request that the following items be added to my relocation assistance package: [List of items that weren’t previously included in your relocation package. May include items such as:
I believe having these items included will ultimately benefit both of us as we move forward with this relocation. Please contact me to discuss these items further or to provide clarity. Thank you, [Your name] |
Conclusion
While asking for something you weren’t offered or negotiating for additional items to be added to your relocation package can feel intimidating, keep in mind that the worst thing your employer can do is decline your request. Otherwise, just remember to do the following:
- Before you write your letter, find out more about what relocation benefits your company offers.
- While writing your letter, remember to include reasons why you may need a specific benefit and how having these items included in your package can help both you and your employer.
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