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Globalization vs De-Globalization: A New World of Bridges…Or Walls?

| February 4, 2019

Global mobility challenges Until recently, the world seemed to be moving inexorably closer, with “us” and “them” giving way to a more global sensibility. Recent populist political movements, from Brexit to Trumpism to Italy’s Five Star Movement and France’s National Rally Party, have challenged this narrative, advocating for a return of local sovereignty and the primacy of national interests. The implications are significant for global mobility and companies that depend on a free flow of talent.

In a recent TRC Global Mobility/Worldwide ERC Learning Zone webinar, Dean Foster, Founder, DFA Intercultural Global Solutions and Executive Strategic Consultant, Dwellworks Intercultural, discussed how cultures and companies are adapting and responding to the new post-global world. He noted that culture is the DNA of a nation. Everything else—politics, economics, social and business life—is a consequence of this culture.

Dean discussed some on-the-ground daily mobility challenges in three areas: Read More

Impact of U.S. Elections on Mobility

| November 30, 2018

us election mobilityThe following post was originally published on November 29, 2018 by Worldwide ERC.

Dear colleagues:

The movement of government offers clues to the way business will unfold, as new lawmakers enter and others depart. With the recent elections in the United States, we want to provide you with an understanding of the impact such changes could have on mobility.

On November 6, midterm elections (which occur halfway between presidential elections for open Congressional seats) were held, resulting in Democrats taking control of the U.S. House of Representatives and Republicans expanding their majority in the United States Senate to 53-47. Democrats gained a net of 40 seats in the House. Read More

Worldwide ERC® Monitoring U.S. Birthright Citizenship Challenge

| November 12, 2018

The White House in Washington, DCOriginally Published by Worldwide ERC on November 4, 2018

On 4 November, HBO aired an interview from 29 October with U.S. President Donald Trump conducted by the media company Axios. In response to a question, the President cited his ability to issue an executive order to end the automatic citizenship for certain individuals born in the U.S.

Based on the video and written excerpts of the interview released by Axios, President Trump stated White House counsel believes he has the authority to end the citizenship right for newborns of non-citizens and unauthorized immigrants through executive order. Read More

Considering Gig Workers? Your Relocation Management Company Can Help

| October 25, 2018

Businesswoman pressing finger on world global locationsIn a gig employment relationship, companies do not employ workers directly and permanently. Instead, they contract workers as needed to complete a specific project or to serve for a defined term. When the contracted project work or term is completed, neither the worker nor the employer has any further obligation to the other party. The worker is free to move on to another gig. Subsequent projects might be with the same employer, a different company or sometimes even an industry competitor. Read More

Global Nomads vs. Global Gig Workers

| October 18, 2018

Businessman choosing gig economy button on touch screen “Global nomads” have been a fixture in talent mobility almost from the beginning: employees who left their home country years ago and have progressed from assignment to assignment and country to country. While they traverse the globe for their companies, moving from assignment to assignment and operating almost like gig workers, they are nonetheless permanent employees and managed as such. These individuals do not localize, but remain attached to their home country for the majority of their compensation and benefit coverage. Read More

Repayment Agreements: Today’s Best Practices

| September 25, 2018

Shaking hands on a payment agreementRecent Worldwide ERC® data shows that the average cost for a company to relocate a current homeowner employee within the U.S. is $79,425. International assignments are more complex, and not surprisingly, more expensive, sometimes costing employers $1m or more.

It has always been important for companies to protect this substantial investment, but the continuing talent shortage has added another imperative: your best and brightest employees—the ones you are most likely to relocate or to send on assignment—are prime targets of your competitors. They would be happy to capitalize on your investment in your employees, particularly when it comes to international assignment experience. Read More

How to Make Relocation Industry Conferences Work for You

| June 13, 2018

By Melissa Seitz-Medford, Manager, TRC Consulting Services

Global relocation industry conferenceAt the recent Worldwide ERC® Americas Conference in Dallas, I couldn’t help but notice how many individuals were wearing “first time attendee” name badges. Although this was not my first time at a WERC conference, I thought it was interesting and exciting to see how many new faces there were, and I looked forward to hearing what they had to say.

Forums like WERC provide a wonderful platform for relocation industry veterans and those who may be looking at global mobility with “fresh eyes” to share thoughts, professional challenges and solutions. Given all of the work that goes into producing these conferences, and the substantial investment companies make to participate, it is worth considering how you can make the most of your time at them. Read More

How are Companies Now Treating Employee Moving Expenses for Tax Purposes?

| April 27, 2018

Employee Moving ExpensesThe passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in late 2017 and its almost immediate effective date of 1 January 2018 took many in the mobility industry by surprise. One key change, the repeal of the employee moving expenses deduction, left many companies wondering about the tax treatment of three common relocation benefits that historically have been tax deductible for transferees:

• Household Goods Shipment (including pet and automobile shipments)
• Household Goods Storage Expenses
• Final Move Expenses Read More

U.S. Immigration Law: Where Are We Now and What’s to Come?

| April 4, 2018

TRC Global Mobility is sponsoring an upcoming Worldwide ERC Learning Zone webinar on April 10, 2018, presented by Envoy Global. Here is a sneak preview of some of the findings contained in Envoy’s Immigration Trends 2018 report. Click Here to Register for the Webinar.

tax reformAccording to Envoy’s Immigration Trends 2018 Report, 70 percent of employers say sourcing foreign national employees is very or extremely important to their talent acquisition strategy, yet 85 percent of employers say the current U.S. immigration system has had an impact in the hiring and retention of global talent into their organizations.

It’s clear that immigration continues to be an area of focus among employers and the U.S. government. Last year brought forward changes in policy, practice and rhetoric, and, unsurprisingly, the outlook for 2018 is similar, with even tougher restrictions being proposed.

Here are some of the potential changes that may be implemented in 2018. Read More

International Relocation Assignments and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017

| March 22, 2018

International tax job cuts - scissors with hands and rescue floatThe passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has had far-reaching effects within the domestic sector of the global mobility industry, however, international employee relocations have been impacted as well.  All of the benefits that are affected from a domestic perspective will have the same implications on international moves if those benefits are included in an international relocation package. For example, household goods shipments and final move benefits are typically included in both international and domestic employee mobility packages.  As of 1 January 2018, both of these benefits have been deemed as taxable, with no distinction between the benefits being administered domestically or internationally.  It will be up to companies on an individual basis to determine if they are going to consider grossing up the taxes for both of these benefits going forward. Read More

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