Principles
The following principles were developed jointly by the Bargaining Agents representatives and the Employer side representatives to the National Joint Council. These principles are the cornerstone of managing government business travel and shall guide all employees and managers in achieving fair, reasonable and modern travel practices across the public service.
Trust - increase the amount of discretion and latitude for employees and managers to act in a fair and reasonable manner.
Flexibility - create an environment where management decisions respect the duty to accommodate, best respond to employees' needs and interests, and consider operational requirements in the determination of travel arrangements.
Respect - create a sensitive, supportive travel environment and processes which respect employees' needs.
Valuing people - recognize employees in a professional manner while supporting employees, their families, their health and safety in the travel context.
Transparency - ensure consistent, fair and equitable application of the policy and its practices.
Modern travel practices - introduce travel management practices that support the principles and are in keeping with travel industry trends and realities; develop and implement an appropriate travel accountability framework and structure.
General
Collective agreement
This directive is deemed to be part of collective agreements between the parties to the National Joint Council, and employees are to be afforded ready access to this directive.
Grievance procedure
In cases of alleged misinterpretation or misapplication arising out of this directive, the grievance procedure, for all represented employees within the meaning of the Public Service Labour Relations Act, will be in accordance with Section 14.0 of the National Joint Council By-Laws. For unrepresented employees the departmental grievance procedure applies. (revised April 1, 2005)
Effective date
This directive is effective on October 1, 2002.
Purpose and scope
The purpose of this directive is to ensure fair treatment of employees required to travel on government business consistent with the principles above. The provisions contained in this directive are mandatory and provide for the reimbursement of reasonable expenses necessarily incurred while travelling on government business and to ensure employees are not out-of-pocket. These provisions do not constitute income or other compensation that would open the way for personal gain.
Application
This directive applies to Public Service employees, exempt staff and other persons travelling on government business, including training. It does not apply to those persons whose travel is governed by other authorities.
Definitions
Accommodation (logement)
Commercial accommodation (logement commercial) - lodging facilities such as hotels, motels, corporate residences or apartments.
Government and institutional accommodation (locaux d'hébergement du gouvernement et d'une institution) - federal government training centers, universities, colleges, Canadian or foreign military establishments, DVA hospitals, trailers, tents and other facilities owned, controlled, authorized or arranged by the Crown, including other educational institutions that provide sleeping accommodation.
Private non-commercial accommodation (logement particulier non commercial) - private dwelling or non-commercial facilities where the traveller does not normally reside.
Comprehensive allowance (indemnité globale) - a daily allowance that may include some or all of meal costs, incidental expenses, transportation costs and accommodation expenses.
Declaration (déclaration) - a written statement signed by the traveller attesting to and listing the expenses for payment without receipt.
Dependant (personne à charge) - a person who resides full-time with the employee at the employee's residence and is
(a) the spouse of that employee, or
(b) the biological child, stepchild, adopted child including a child adopted by aboriginal people under the Custom Adoption Practice, or legal ward of that employee or of the employee's spouse who is both dependent on the employee for support and
(i) under 18 years of age, or
(ii) dependent on the employee by reason of mental or physical disability, or
(iii) in full-time attendance at a school or other education institution that provides training or instruction of an educational, professional, vocational or technical nature; or
(c) the parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew or grandchild of that employee or of the employee's spouse who is both dependent on the employee for support and
(i) under 18 years of age, or
(ii) dependent on the employee by reason of mental or physical disability, or
(iii) is in full-time attendance at a school or other education institution that provides training or instruction of an educational, professional, vocational or technical nature.
Economy class (classe économique) - the standard class of air travel, including special discount fares. It excludes first class and business class or equivalents.
Employee (fonctionnaire) - a person employed in the Federal Public Service.
Employer (employeur) - Her Majesty in right of Canada as represented by the Treasury Board, and includes persons authorized to exercise the authority of the Treasury Board.
Government business travel (voyage en service commandé) - all travel authorized by the employer, and is used in reference to the circumstances under which the expenses prescribed in this directive may be paid or reimbursed from public funds.
Headquarters area (zone d'affectation) - spans an area of 16 kms from the assigned workplace using the most direct, safe and practical road.
Incidental expense allowance (faux frais)
Canada and Continental USA (Canada et États continentaux des États-Unis) - an allowance to cover the costs of items which can be attributed to a period in travel, but for which no other reimbursement or allowance is provided under this directive and to help off-set some of the expenses incurred as a result of having to travel. It includes but is not limited to such items as gratuities, laundry, dry cleaning, bottled water, phone calls home, grass cutting, snow removal, home security check, plant watering, mail services, pet care, telecommunications hook-ups and service, shipping of some personal effects.
International (International) - an allowance to cover the costs of items which can be attributed to a period in travel, but for which no other reimbursement or allowance is provided under this directive and to help off-set some of the expenses incurred as a result of having to travel. It includes but is not limited to such items as gratuities, laundry, dry cleaning, grass cutting, snow removal, home security check, plant watering, mail services, pet care, telecommunications hook-ups and service, shipping of some personal effects.
Receipt (reçu) - an original document or carbon copy showing the date and amount of expenditure paid by the traveller.
Spouse or common-law partner (conjoint ou conjoint de fait) -in accordance with the Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act, the parties hereunder agree that:
(a) in the collective agreements reached between the parties, current references to the term "spouse" are replaced by the expression "spouse or common-law partner". The term "common-law partner" refers to a person living in a conjugal relationship with an employee for a continuous period of at least one year. The term "spouse" refers to the person married to the employee.
(b) for the purposes of the Foreign Service Directives, current references to the term "spouse" are replaced by the expression "spouse or common-law partner". The term "common-law partner" refers to a person living in a conjugal relationship with an employee for a continuous period of at least one year. This "spouse or common-law partner" must qualify as a dependent under the Foreign Service Directives. The term "spouse" refers to the person married to the employee.
Travel status (déplacement) - an absence from the traveller's headquarters area on government business travel.
Traveller (voyageur) - a person who is authorized to travel on federal government business.
Workplace (lieu de travail)
Permanent/Regular (permanent/régulier) - the single permanent location determined by the employer at or from which an employee ordinarily performs the work of his or her position or reports to.
Temporary (temporaire) - the single location where an employee is temporarily assigned to perform the work of his or her position or reports to within the headquarters area.