Scope
Introduction
This directive replaces FSD 45 - Foreign Service Travel and specifies the conditions for the use of credits in the travel credit bank and leave credit bank which had accrued prior to October 1, 1997. This directive also sets out transitional provisions for employees at post on June 1, 2001, who were under the provisions of FSD 45 - Foreign Service Travel, of the 1993 Foreign Service Directives on May 31, 2001.
This directive will be cancelled when all travel and leave credits have been liquidated.
Please refer to the Instructions at the end of this Directive for additional information or greater clarification of certain sections.
Directive
45.1 Foreign Service Travel Credit Bank
(Note: Refer to Instructions)
45.1.1 Foreign service travel credits which were converted from leave credits to a foreign service travel credit bank on October 1, 1997, are available to assist employees and their family and friends to travel between the post and another location, and for family members and friends to visit the employee at post or travel with the employee to another location.
45.1.2 Each full foreign service travel credit is converted to a non-accountable travel allowance, to reflect 75% of full (Y) economy air fare between the employee's post and the headquarters city at the time the allowance is authorized. Where there is no Y fare, 100% of Y2 fare shall be used.
45.1.3 A foreign service travel allowance may be requested in local currency or in Canadian dollars. Employees applying for the allowance will be required to identify the purpose for which the allowance is requested, and will later be required to prove or substantiate that the purpose for which the allowance was intended has actually been met.
45.1.4 It is not the intent to provide employees with an allowance for purposes other than travel as specified in this directive. While the allowance is intended for transportation costs, it is accepted that up to 30% of the allowance may be used for travel-related costs such as accommodation and meals.
45.1.5 A foreign service travel credit/allowance may be used for:
(a) travel while an employee is on posting; and/or
(b) travel in conjunction with relocation travel, to and/or from a post, when authorized in advance and subject to audit on arrival at the new place of duty; and/or
(c) travel, following receipt of a Posting Confirmation Form (or equivalent), to the employee's new place of duty outside Canada, to seek or facilitate spousal employment, to arrange for the education of dependants, or for house hunting where a house hunting trip has not been authorized for reasons of cost-effectiveness.
45.1.6 Travel may be taken on more than one occasion and/or by more than one person.
45.1.7 More than one travel credit may be used at the same time (for example, the employee may wish to bring two or more family members from Canada to visit at the post).
45.1.8 Travel may be combined, that is, travel from post may be combined with travel from a second location to a common third location destination.
45.1.9 With the advance approval of the deputy head, travel may be taken in conjunction with travel authorized under another directive (for example, family reunion travel, compassionate travel).
45.1.10 Requests for a foreign service travel allowance shall not be unreasonably denied.
45.1.11 On written request to the headquarters' FSD Administrator, an employee may convert foreign service travel bank credits to foreign service leave bank credits at the rate of 10 days foreign service leave for each full travel credit.
45.1.12 Where an employee's posting is terminated before the travel for which the allowance was granted has started, the employee:
(a) on request, shall be authorized to use travel under this directive in conjunction with relocation travel under FSD 15 - Relocation, on final departure from post, unless the employer can demonstrate that operational requirements preclude circuitous travel, or
(b) shall repay the allowance in full, in which case the travel credit shall be reinstated.
45.1.13 Where an employee's posting is terminated before the travel for which the allowance was granted has been completed, the employee:
(a) on request, shall be authorized to use travel under this directive in conjunction with relocation travel on final departure from post, unless the employer can demonstrate that operational requirements preclude circuitous travel, or
(b) may repay the allowance in full, in which case the travel credit shall be reinstated, or
(c) may repay 50% of the allowance, where it can be demonstrated that approximately 50% of the allowance has been used, in which case a ½ travel credit shall be reinstated.
45.1.14 Where travel has been authorized in conjunction with relocation travel under FSD 15 - Relocation, on arrival at the new place of duty an employee shall be required to demonstrate that the allowance has been used as intended.
45.1.15 In applying subsections 45.1.12 and 45.1.13, an employee will normally be required to return that portion of the allowance which has not been used for travel (and which will not be used in conjunction with relocation travel under FSD 15 - Relocation), unless, in the opinion of the deputy head, there are extenuating circumstances which merit special consideration; extenuating circumstances include those situations where an employee can demonstrate the purchase of non-returnable tickets, or where pre-paid vacation or travel arrangements cannot be canceled or are subject to a financial penalty.
45.1.16 On completion of all travel for which the allowance was issued, and no later than final departure from post, (except on relocation, as provided for under paragraph 45.1.5(b) and subsection 45.1.14 and the employee will be required to provide such documentation as the employer may require to demonstrate that the purpose of the allowance has been met. It is the employee's responsibility to provide proof of usage satisfactory to the deputy head, such as travel documents/tickets etc., in support of all travel claimed against the travel credit. Where an employee cannot show acceptable proof of travel taken, the allowance shall be repaid in full, and the travel credit restored to the employee's foreign service travel credit bank.
45.1.17 On cessation of employment from a foreign service department, an employee shall receive cash payment for all outstanding foreign service travel credits, on the basis of salary in effect on the last day of employment with a foreign service department, at a conversion rate of 10 days foreign service leave for each full travel credit.
45.2 Foreign Service Leave Credit Bank
45.2.1 An employee who elected to retain foreign service leave credits after October 1, 1997:
(a) may retain and use foreign service leave credits during employment with a foreign service department; and/or
(b) may receive cash payment for any or all foreign service leave credits, on the basis of salary in effect on the date the request is made; and
(c) shall receive cash payment for all outstanding foreign service leave credits on termination of employment from a foreign service department, on the basis of salary in effect on the last day of employment with a foreign service department.
45.3 Transitional Provisions
45.3.1 Employees at post on June 1, 2001, who were under the provisions of FSD 45 - Foreign Service Travel, of the 1993 Foreign Service Directives on May 31, 2001, shall remain under these 1997 provisions until:
(a) the next annual anniversary date of arrival at post; or
(b) the first day following completion of the time necessary to fulfill the requirement for a travel allowance, where one or more travel allowances have been authorized in advance.
45.3.2 Once either paragraph 45.3.1(a) or (b) has been met, unless an employee elects for post leave in accordance with FSD 46 - Post Leave/Option paragraph 46.1.2(b), such employee shall receive a post-specific allowance, in accordance with FSD 56 - Foreign Service Incentive Allowances.
Instructions
Instruction for 45.1 – Foreign Service Travel Credit Bank
1. Provisions for the issue and verification of foreign service travel credits / allowances are found in FSD 70 - Reporting Requirements and Verification of Allowances.
2. Transportation by car, at the lower kilometric/mileage rate (as posted on the following National Joint Council web page http://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/doc.php?did=549&lang=en), is acceptable provided the destination is more than 150 kilometres from the post and the trip involves one or more night's accommodation. The lower kilometric/mileage rate is established by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs by adjusting the Lower Kilometric/Mileage Rate applicable to Ottawa to exclude the fuel/gasoline component of that rate and replace it with a component based on the fuel/gasoline cost incurred by the employee at the post.
3. Where travel does not originate at the post, the employee's post must appear on the travel itinerary and there must be a minimum stopover of 24 hours at post before travel is resumed.