Part VI - Travel to the New Location

6.1 Purpose

It is the responsibility of the department to provide employees and dependants with transportation, accommodation, meals and incidentals when they are relocating from one place of duty to another, within Canada. When travelling to the new location, employees and their family are subject to the NJC Travel Directive meal rates and the Daily Miscellaneous Relocation Expenses Allowance (see subsection 6.5.2).

An employee with a special needs dependant may require the assistance of a medical or care attendant during travel to the new location. Costs associated with the attendant's round trip, including transportation, meals and accommodation will be paid through the Customized Fund.

Commercial travel arrangements shall be made through the Government Travel Service

6.2 Funding Overview

The benefits outlined in this part are paid from both the Core Fund and the Customized/Personalized Funds as follows:

Benefit	Core	Customized	Personalized
Transportation	Employee, spouse or common-law partner and children	Other dependants, medical or care attendant
Meals	Employee, spouse or common-law partner and children (NJC Travel Directive daily meal rates)	Other dependants, medical or care attendant
Miscellaneous Relocation expense Allowance	Employee: 12% - NJC Travel Directive daily meal rates Spouse or common-law partner and children: 6% - NJC Travel Directive daily meal rates	Other dependants: 6% NJC Travel Directive daily meal rates
Accommodation	Employee, spouse or common-law partner and children	Other dependants, medical or care attendant	Exceeding Core entitlements, see funding overviews

Note:
TBS bi-annual meal rates can be accessed at the following addresses: GENet: http://publiservice.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hr-rh/gtla-vgcl/index-eng.asp, or for internet access http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hr-rh/gtla-vgcl/index-eng.asp or Government Travel and Living Accommodations.

6.3 Transportation

6.3.1 Selecting the Mode of Transportation

• The department shall determine the most appropriate means of transportation for travel to the new location in consultation with the employee and the Departmental National Coordinator. The following factors should be taken into account:
  • the family circumstances at the time of the move;
  • the employee's needs and interests;
  • the employee's reporting date at the new place of duty;
  • the existence of an acceptable road network between the old and the new places of duty, and the weather conditions that prevail at that time;
  • the delivery date of the HG&E; and
  • the time required to reach the new location.
• When a mode of transportation has been approved, it is expected that the family unit shall travel by such mode. Exceptions may be pre-authorized by the Departmental National Coordinator. Where pre-authorization is not provided, the employee is responsible for all additional costs resulting from the change to the means of transportation.
• All official air travel arrangements on a commercial carrier shall be made via the Government's contracted travel services by the CRSP.
• Reasonable costs resulting from an authorized stop-over for the transaction of official government business (en route) or delays encountered as a result of illness are reimbursable.
• Business class upgrade is not authorized for travel within Canada from either the Core Fund or the Customized/Personalized Funds.

6.3.2 PMV as Primary Mode of Transportation

• In the interests of safe driving, when employee-driven vehicles are authorized, employees shall not normally be expected to drive more than 500 km on any day when the employee has not worked. Trips marginally longer may occur when the employee attempts to reach final destination on a given day.
• Employees authorized to travel by PMV to the new location shall be reimbursed as follows:
  • PMVs driven - NJC Travel Directive kilometric rate;
  • Motorcycles - NJC Travel Directive kilometric rate;
  • Trailers that can be towed - reimbursed at 50% of the NJC Travel Directive kilometric rate.

Core Fund

• One PMV/motorcycle.
• One trailer.

Customized/Personalized Funds

• 2^nd and additional vehicles driven/towed.

6.3.3 PMV Passenger

• An employee who travels as a passenger in a PMV may claim a kilometric allowance:
  • if the operator of the vehicle is not eligible to claim a kilometric allowance;
  • actual and reasonable payments made to the operator may be reimbursed; and
  • this amount is not to exceed the kilometric allowance detailed above.
• A receipt is required when a reimbursement is requested for payment made to the operator of the vehicle.
• The employee is not entitled to a kilometric allowance when the operator of the vehicle is eligible for the allowance.

Core Fund

• Actual and reasonable payments subject to kilometric allowance limitation.
• When the employee travels as a passenger in a PMV, the operator of which is eligible to claim a kilometric allowance, the employee will not be reimbursed for any kilometric allowance.

6.3.4 Ferry and Toll Charges

• Actual and reasonable expenses for road, ferry, bridge, tunnel tolls and parking charges are reimbursable.
• Funding shall be determined by the manner in which the kilometric allowance is funded (i.e. toll costs incurred for a second vehicle shall be paid from the Customized/Personalized Funds).

6.3.5 Commercial Carriers as Primary Mode of Transportation

Core Fund

• Expenses for employee, spouse or common-law partner, and children.

Customized/Personalized Funds

• Expenses for other dependants.

6.4 Accommodation

• Employees will be reimbursed actual and reasonable commercial lodging expenses within the average range found in the PWGSC Accommodation Directory.
• Employees entitled to two or more rooms may instead choose to occupy a suite. Such cost will be paid from the Core Fund but the employee will not be eligible for the hotel-motel room reduction savings/incentive.
• Accommodation expenses will be paid from either the Core Fund or the Customized/Personalized Funds as specified below.
• An employee who uses less than his or her hotel room entitlement, based on family size, shall receive an incentive of $50.00 per night which will be transferred to the Personalized Fund.
• The occupancy standards outlined in the HHT trip provisions shall apply.

6.4.1 Private Accommodation

• Employees in private accommodation are entitled to an accommodation allowance payable per family/household for each night of occupancy as follows:

Core Fund

• $50.00 per night/family.
• Receipts are not required.
• A family occupying both private and commercial accommodations will be reimbursed only the commercial rate.

Customized/Personalized Funds

• Not applicable.

6.5 Meal Allowances

6.5.1

• The employee, spouse or common-law partner, and dependants are entitled to meal allowances as specified below:
  • the NJC Travel Directive meal allowances apply.
  • each dependant will be entitled to a meal allowance.

6.5.2 Daily Miscellaneous Relocation Expense Allowance

• This allowance is calculated as follows:
  • employee: 12% of daily meal allowance (NJC Travel Directive).
  • each dependant: 6% of daily meal allowance.

6.6 Stop Over or Delays while En Route

6.6.1 Authorized Stop Over

• Additional travel time and costs resulting from an authorized stop over for the transaction of official government business (en route) or delays encountered as a result of illness are reimbursable from the Core Fund.

6.6.2 Non-authorized Stop Over

• Employees authorized to travel by PMV or other non-commercial means, who make a stop-over for personal reasons, shall not be provided with any additional travel time.
• No reimbursement of costs resulting from such a stop.
• Under normal circumstances, an employee will stay each night at a different location while en route to the new destination. However, an employee who spends two (2) nights at the same location shall be reimbursed the normal travelling expenses (for the distance to be covered between the old and the new workplace).

6.7 Separated Dependants

• When the employee and family have been relocated, one or more dependants (who had lived in the family home at the time of the relocation) may remain at the old location (e.g. to complete an educational term or for some other justifiable reasons).
• When such dependants rejoin the family group:
  • travelling expenses to the new place of residence shall be reimbursed in accordance with this Directive;
  • incidental travel expenses shall not be paid;
  • under no circumstances will expenses (e.g. during mid-term break) for holiday travel to join the family be considered.