Section 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 relocating from one place of duty to another, within Canada. When travelling to the new location, employees and their family are subject to the Travel Directive meal rates and the special NJC Relocation - IRP Directive miscellaneous relocation expenses allowance.

6.2 Funding Overview

The benefits outlined in this section are funded 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	Extended Family
Meals	Employee, Spouse or common law partner and Children (Travel Directive daily meal rates)	Extended Family
Miscellaneous Relocation expense Allowance	Employee: 12% - Travel Directive daily meal rates Spouse or common law partner and dependants: 6% - Travel Directive daily meal rates	Extended Family: 6% - Travel Directive daily meal rates
Accommodation	Employee, Spouse or common law partner and Children	Extended Family	Beyond Core

Note:
TBS bi-annual meal rates can be accessed at the following addresses:

/hr-rh/gtla-vgcl/index-eng.asp

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 DNC. The following factors should be taken into account:
  • the family circumstances at the time of the move;
  • the employees' 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 third party service provider.
• 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 Core or 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 kilometres 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 private motor vehicle 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;
  • 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 private motor vehicle, 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 funded from Customized/Personalized components).

6.3.5 Commercial Carriers as Primary Mode of Transportation

Core Fund

• Expenses for employee and dependants

Customized/Personalized Funds

• Expenses for extended family

6.4 Accommodation

• Employees will be reimbursed actual and reasonable commercial lodging expenses within the average range found in the PWGSC Accommodation Directory.
• Accommodation expenses will be paid from either Core or Customized or Personalized funds as specified below.
• 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, dependants and extended family are entitled to meal allowances as specified below:
  • the Travel Directive meal allowances apply;
  • each dependant will be entitled to a meal allowance;
  • extended family meals are funded from Customized funds.

6.5.2 Daily Miscellaneous Relocation Expense Allowance

• This allowance is calculated as follows:
  • Employee: 12% of daily meal allowance (Travel Directive)
  • Each dependant: 6% of daily meal allowance
  • 6% of daily meal allowance applicable to extended members of the family

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 Core.

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 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 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.