Home » Directives » Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive » August 1, 2007 (ARCHIVED) » Part III - Expenses and Leave

Part III - Expenses and Leave

Travelling and Transportation Expenses

3.1 Non-Elective Medical or Dental Treatment

3.1.1 Employees who are granted leave without pay for the following reasons are also entitled to the benefits of this section: illness, injury-on-duty, or maternity/parental leave.

3.1.2 Subject to this section, when employees or their dependants obtain medical or dental treatment at the nearest location in Canada where adequate medical or dental treatment is available, as determined by the attending medical or dental practitioner, and they satisfy their deputy head by means of a certificate of the attending medical or dental practitioner that the treatment:

  1. was not elective;
  2. was not available at their headquarters; and
  3. was required without delay;

the deputy head shall authorize reimbursement of the transportation and travelling expenses in respect of that treatment.

Notes:

The lower kilometric rate will apply except where there is no air service from the headquarters to the nearest location in Canada where adequate medical or dental treatment is available; and (revised February 25, 2008)

where there is no public transportation from the headquarters to the air service, the kilometric rate for government business travel shall be paid from the employee's headquarters to the nearest source of public transportation to the air service. (revised February 25, 2008)

There may be occasions when a delay of several weeks or possibly longer may occur before the patient can receive the treatment. This section applies when the delay is due to the fact that the facilities or medical practitioners at the treatment centre were not available immediately.

3.1.3 Expenses under this section shall not be reimbursed for orthodontic treatment that is aesthetic or cosmetic in nature. However, they are reimbursable when a dental practitioner certifies treatment is required for newborn infants afflicted with cleft lips and palates, for persons involved in accidents involving broken jaws or seriously damaged teeth and for persons having severely handicapping malocclusions causing severe masticatory dysfunction.

3.1.4 The expenses shall include the expenses of any person, other than the person who obtains treatment, if the deputy head is satisfied that:

  1. it is necessary for the person who obtains the treatment to be escorted during the period of travel; or
  2. no suitable arrangements for the care of the dependants can be made at the isolated post, and they must therefore accompany the person obtaining treatment.

3.1.5 When employees are granted benefits pursuant to this section and the deputy head is satisfied that:

  1. the treatment or the transportation was unavoidably prolonged; or
  2. the attending medical or dental practitioner has certified that the continued presence of the escort referred to in subsection 3.1.4 is required for purposes of the treatment; or
  3. the presence of the dependants referred to in subsection 3.1.4 is warranted; and
  4. meals and accommodation are not provided free of charge to the persons referred to in this section;

the deputy head shall authorize the reimbursement to employees of the transportation and travelling expenses that are incurred in respect of themselves, their dependants and escort. Receipts are required for all expenses (including meals) except for incidental expenses.

Note:

Refer to subsections 3.10.1, 3.10.3 and Section 3.11 for provisions relating to travel time and transportation delays.

3.2 Compassionate Travel and Expenses

3.2.1 When employees are granted leave with pay by reason of there being an illness in their immediate family, that is certified as critical by a qualified medical practitioner and that requires them to travel from their headquarters to another location and back, the employer shall reimburse the lesser of:

  1. an amount equal to "compassionate" airfare from the headquarters to the point of departure and return, if carriers at the headquarters offer "compassionate" airfares; or,
  2. an amount equal to the cost of the regular return economy airfare between the headquarters and the point of departure, if carriers at the headquarters do not offer "compassionate" airfares; or,
  3. the actual costs incurred for return travel between the headquarters and the location of the family member. Receipts are required for all expenses (including meals) except for incidental expenses.

3.2.2 Employees are to inquire and avail themselves of "compassionate" or discounted fares whenever possible.

3.2.3 The benefits provided by this section shall be extended to

  1. the employee and the employee's spouse or common-law partner, with respect to the critical illness of their biological child, stepchild, adopted child or legal ward; or
  2. the employee or the employee's spouse or common-law partner, with respect to the critical illness of other members of the employee's immediate family.

Note:

Refer to subsections 3.10.1, 3.10.3 and Section 3.11 for provisions relating to travel time and transportation delays.

3.3 Bereavement Travel Expenses

3.3.1 When employees are granted leave with pay for a bereavement in the immediate family and they travel from their headquarters to another location and back, the employer shall reimburse the lesser of:

  1. an amount equal to "compassionate" airfare from the headquarters to the point of departure and return, if carriers at the headquarters offer "compassionate" airfares; or,
  2. an amount equal to the cost of the regular return economy airfare between the headquarters and the point of departure, if carriers at the headquarters do not offer "compassionate" airfares; or,
  3.  the actual costs incurred for return travel between the headquarters and the location of the family member. Receipts are required for all expenses (including meals) except for incidental expenses.

3.3.2 Employees are to inquire and avail themselves of "compassionate" or discounted fares whenever possible.

3.3.3 The benefits provided by this section shall be extended to

  1. the employee and the employee's spouse or common-law partner, with respect to the death of their biological child, stepchild, adopted child or legal ward, or
  2. the employee or the employee's spouse or common-law partner, with respect to the death of other members of the employee's immediate family.

Note:

Refer to subsections 3.10.1, 3.10.3 and Section 3.11 for provisions relating to travel time and transportation delays.

Examples

Note: the following examples are provided to clarify Sections 3.2 and 3.3. The airfares cited are not necessarily accurate.

Example I

An employee in Yellowknife flies to Winnipeg and back and pays $500. The point of departure for Yellowknife is Edmonton. The regular return economy airfare between Yellowknife and Edmonton is $600, and airlines in Yellowknife offer a compassionate fare of $300. In this example, the employee would be reimbursed $300 (the amount of the compassionate fare between the headquarters and the point of departure), because it is the lesser amount.

Example II

An employee in Iqaluit flies to Rankin Inlet and back and pays $500. The point of departure for Iqaluit is Ottawa. The regular return economy airfare between Iqaluit and Ottawa is $1100 and airlines in Iqaluit offer compassionate fares of $550. In this example, the employee's actual expense of $500 would be reimbursed, because it is the lesser amount.

Example III

An employee in Fond-du-Lac flies to London, England and back and pays $1300. The point of departure for Fond-du-Lac is Saskatoon and no carriers in Fond-du-Lac offer compassionate fares. The regular return economy airfare between Fond-du- Lac and Saskatoon is $750. In this example, the employee would be reimbursed $750, because it is the lesser amount.

3.4 Vacation Travel Assistance (VTA)

3.4.1 The vacation travel assistance payments shall be limited to:

  1. once in each fiscal year for the employee whose headquarters has an EA classification of 1, 2 or 3,
  2. twice in each fiscal year for the employee whose headquarters has an EA classification of 4 or 5,
  3. where the employee arrives on or after October 1, once in that fiscal year in which at a headquarters having an EA classification of 4 or 5, or
  4. where the employee is expected to terminate the assignment on or before September 30, once in that fiscal year if the headquarters has an EA classification of 4 or 5.

3.4.2 Employees must apply for VTA in writing.

3.4.3 The employee may choose to include a dependant attending a post-secondary institution away from the headquarters or follow the provisions of Section 3.8.

3.4.4 For purposes of VTA, when at least one dependant of the employee is also an employee and lives with him or her at their headquarters residence, one of them shall be deemed to be an employee and the other to be a dependant.

3.4.5

  1. Employees who have been reimbursed relocation expenses pursuant to Part IV of this Directive and have moved from a non-isolated location to an isolated post must wait three months from the date of their relocation to the post to qualify for VTA.
  2. Local hires initially appointed to a position at the post must also wait three months from the date of their appointment to qualify for the VTA.

3.4.6 Employees who have been reimbursed relocation expenses pursuant to Part IV of this Directive and have moved from one isolated post to another isolated post are not subject to the three-month waiting period.

Note:

Employees who resign from the Public Service in a fiscal year for which they have received any benefits pursuant to Section 3.4 may be subject to recovery action. Refer to Section 3.6 for complete details.

3.5 Fixed Rate Vacation Travel Assistance

3.5.1 Employees working at headquarters that have airports will be paid an amount equivalent to 100% of the return full fare economy class airfare between the headquarters and the point of departure. The payment will include the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and provincial or territorial sales tax, as applicable. The payment excludes airport fees, departure taxes, NAVCAN surcharges, travel agent fees, and other miscellaneous fees.

3.5.2 Where the airline whose rates are being used for the fixed rate VTA offers a percentage discount of the full fare economy class airfare on the basis of the age of a child, this rate will be used for the fixed rate VTA for the child. If this company does not offer such discounts for children, none may be applied.

3.5.3 Employees working at headquarters that do not have airports will be paid:

  1. the fixed rate VTA equivalent to 100% return full fare economy class airfare between the nearest airport and the point of departure, AND the return lower kilometric rate for the driving distance between the headquarters and the nearest airport; or
  2. the return lower kilometric rate for the driving distance between the headquarters and the point of departure, where the most practical and direct means of reaching the point of departure is by road.

3.5.4 Where there is no airport at the headquarters and the distance between the headquarters and the nearest airport OR between the headquarters and the point of departure is 250 km or more, the employee and dependant(s) will each receive $100 for miscellaneous expenses each way.

3.5.5 There is no requirement to travel, or take leave, or lieu time off to receive the fixed rate VTA payment.

3.5.6 The fixed rate VTA is payable to the employee, for the employee and for each dependant, as applicable.

3.5.7 The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat will publish the amount of the fixed rate VTA for each isolated post in the spring each year on a date agreed to by the NJC IPGHC. In addition, for those isolated posts with an EA classification of 4 or 5, the fixed rate VTA will also be published in the fall each year on a date agreed to by the NJC IPGHC.

TBS will notify departments of the rates.

Note:

For locations with an EA of 1, 2 or 3, the rate will apply for a 12-month period from the date it is published. For locations with an EA of 4 or 5, the rate will be in effect for a 6-month period until the next rate is published.

3.6 Recovery of Vacation Travel Assistance (VTA)

3.6.1 No recovery will be made when employees cease to be employees by reason of their retirement, disability, a work force adjustment or termination for reasons other than breaches of discipline or misconduct.

3.6.2 Subject to this section, when employees, except those referred to in Sections 5.2 and 5.11 resign from the Public Service, having received any benefits pursuant to Section 3.4 within the preceding three months (if the headquarters has an environment classification of 4 or 5) or within the preceding five months (if the headquarters has an environment classification of 1, 2 or 3) the amount of these benefits shall be:

  1. deducted from the amount that would have been paid pursuant to Part V; or
  2. be considered a debt owing the Government when there are insufficient funds payable pursuant to this part or employees are not eligible to any benefits of this part.

3.6.3 No recovery shall be made when the employees resign in a fiscal year other than the fiscal year in which they received those benefits.

3.6.4 When the headquarters has an environment classification of 4 or 5, the amount of the benefits recoverable shall be pro-rated as follows:

Resigns

# of VTA payments

Recovery

Apr. 1 to Sept. 30

1

A

Apr. 1 to Sept. 30

2

A plus 2nd payment

Oct. 1 to Mar. 31

1

Nil

Oct. 1 to Mar. 31

2

B

A (Number of incomplete months of service between April 1 and September 30) X 1st payment ÷ 6. (revised December 13, 2007)

B means (Number of incomplete months of service between October 1 and March 31) X 2nd payment ÷ 6. (revised December 13, 2007)

Payment(s) (paiement(s)) means the benefits of Section 3.4 received within three months preceding the date of resignation.

Incomplete months of service (mois de service incomplets) means calendar months in which the employee did not earn at least 10 days' pay.

3.6.5 When the headquarters has an environment classification level of 1, 2 or 3, the amount of benefits recoverable shall be pro-rated as follows:

(Number of incomplete months of service in the fiscal year) X payment ÷ 12. (revised December 13, 2007)

Payment(s) (paiement(s)) means the benefits of Section 3.4 received within five months of the date of resignation.

Incomplete months of service (mois de service incomplets) means calendar months in which the employee did not earn at least 10 days' pay.

Note:

Subject to subsection 3.6.1, the provisions of this section shall apply to all employees, including local hires, whether or not they relocate from the isolated post.

3.7 Part-time and Seasonal Employment

3.7.1 Subject to the Application section of this directive, part-time and seasonal employees shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.5, in the same proportion as their total annual hours of work compare to the total annual hours of work of a full-time employee occupying a position at the same occupational group and level (prorating).

3.8 Post-Secondary Educational Travel

3.8.1 Subject to this section, persons who would qualify under the definition of dependant if they were not attending a post-secondary educational institution away from the headquarters, may use the entitlements referred to in Section 3.4 once in each fiscal year to proceed from and return to the headquarters.

3.8.2 The amount of expenses reimbursed shall be the lesser of:

  1. the actual transportation and travelling expenses incurred in travelling, by any mode(s) of transportation, from the location of the educational institution to the headquarters of the employee and return, or
  2. the transportation and travelling expenses that would have been incurred in travelling to the headquarters of the employee from the point of departure and return by economy class air travel.

3.8.3 The expenses reimbursed may be as a result of two one-way trips or a return journey between the headquarters and institution or institution and the headquarters, regardless of the length of time between trips or legs of the return journey, provided the expenses are incurred in the same fiscal year.

3.8.4 Subject to subsection 3.4.1(b), a person who uses the benefits of this section shall not be entitled to any other benefits of Section 3.4 in the fiscal year the benefits of this section are received.

3.9 Adoption of a Child

3.9.1 When an employee adopts a child and must travel from the headquarters to accept physical custody of that child, the deputy head shall reimburse, to the employee, the transportation and travelling costs incurred by

  1. the employee and spouse or common-law partner, for the journey between the headquarters and the location of the child, and
  2. the employee, spouse or common-law partner and child, for the return journey,

in an amount not to exceed the cost that would have been incurred had the journey been made to the point of departure and return by the mode(s) of transportation used by the employee.

Leave

3.10 Travel Associated with Leave with Pay

3.10.1 Once per fiscal year, for headquarters with an EA classification of 1, 2, or 3, or twice per fiscal year for headquarters with an EA classification of 4 or 5, when employees travel from their headquarters for vacation purposes, they shall be granted time off with pay, in lieu of being required to travel on a working day or on a day of rest, for a period that is the lesser of:

  1. two days; or
  2. the actual and reasonable time required to travel from headquarters to the point of departure or destination (if less), and return.

3.10.2 Employees claiming time off with pay for vacation travel shall submit a request for vacation or other paid leave, for a period that is contiguous to the period of time off with pay being claimed. Employees must satisfy the deputy head that travel will take or has taken place.

3.10.3 When employees are reimbursed transportation or travel expenses pursuant to Sections 3.1, 3.2 or 3.3, and the travel time granted pursuant to an appropriate governing authority is insufficient for them to travel to the point of departure and return, they shall be granted leave with pay for a period that is the lesser of:

  1. two days; or
  2. the actual and reasonable time required to travel from headquarters to the point of departure and return.

3.10.4 If regular flight schedules do not allow for an employee to reach the point of departure without an overnight stopover, the employee may be granted up to 3 days leave with pay.

3.11 Transportation Delays

3.11.1 On each occasion that employees are granted the benefits of Section 3.10, deputy heads shall, if they are satisfied that the time required to travel was prolonged by reason of transportation delays beyond the control of those employees, grant up to five additional days of leave with pay.

3.11.2 Deputy heads may, if they are satisfied that leave in excess of the leave granted pursuant to this section was required for the reason described in this section, grant additional leave with pay.

3.11.3 When employees are granted benefits pursuant to this section, deputy heads shall authorize the reimbursement of transportation and travelling expenses incurred by employees and their dependants, if they are satisfied that the commercial carrier does not pay these expenses in those circumstances. Receipts are required for all expenses (including meals) except for incidental expenses.

3.12 Elective Medical or Dental Treatment

3.12.1 If employees or any of their dependants must travel from their headquarters to another location to obtain elective medical or dental treatment that is not available at their headquarters, they shall be granted, during a fiscal year, a maximum of 3 additional days of leave with pay for the actual time that is required to travel and obtain the treatment.

Index