U.S. Department of
Agriculture
Washington,
D.C.
|
DEPARTMENTAL REGULATION |
NUMBER: 2300-004 |
|
SUBJECT: USDA Evacuation Policies and Procedures |
DATE: March 6, 2006 |
|
OPI: Office of the Chief Financial Officer |
1 PURPOSE
This regulation provides a coordinated and uniform USDA policy pursuant to the issuance of an order to evacuate.
2 SPECIAL INSTRUCTION/CANCELLATIONS
a. This regulation is effective immediately and supersedes the previous
version issued September 7, 2005.
b. Appendix A is the Evacuation Policies and Procedures Instructions.
c. Appendix B is the Example Scenario.
Evacuation
Policies and Procedures
Due to the issuance of an order to evacuate, USDA has reviewed the evacuation regulations and other applicable laws and has set forth the following two types of payments that may be made to evacuated USDA employees and their dependents. These payments consist of advance pay and subsistence payments, subject to a few caveats. These are the only payments that will be made to Federal employees and their dependents under this authority.
USDA may make two types of salary payments:
· One advance payment of an employee’s net salary, under 5 CFR 550.404, “shall cover a time period not to exceed 30 days or a lesser number of days, as determined by the authorizing agency official.” The advance must be approved by the authorized agency official as determined by governing Office of Human Capital Management (OHCM) regulations. Agencies should refer to OHCM regulations for information on pay benefits for Federal employees affected by severe weather conditions or other emergency situations. National Finance Center (NFC) will process an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) payment to the employee’s payroll account. If an employee’s financial institution is unable to process the EFT payment, the employee may request payment to an alternate EFT account or via a Prepaid Card.
· Replacement of salary payments: If the employee’s financial institution is unable to process EFT payments, the employee may request payment to an alternate EFT account or may request a Prepaid Card. The unprocessed EFT payment will then be cancelled.
Receiving Prepaid Cards:
Prepaid Cards can be initiated by the appropriate official (employees for replacement of salary payments, supervisors and designated officials for salary advances) by calling NFC–Payroll at (800) 981-3026 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. central time.
Repayment and/or Repayment Forgiveness: At the earliest possible date after the evacuation is terminated (or earlier if the circumstances justify), after the employee returns to his or her assigned duty station, or when the employee is reassigned officially, the payroll office having jurisdiction over the employee's account shall review each employee's account for the purpose of making adjustments. The employee's pay shall be adjusted on the basis of the rates of pay, allowances, or differentials, if any, to which he or she would otherwise have been entitled under all applicable statutes other than Section 5527 of Title 5, United States Code. Any adjustments in the employee's account shall also reflect advance payments made to the employee. After an employee's account is reviewed, if it is found that the employee is indebted for any part of the advance payment made to him or her or his or her dependent(s) or designated representative, recovery of the indebtedness shall be effected by the payroll office having jurisdiction over the employee's account, unless a waiver of recovery has been approved. Repayment of the indebtedness may be made either in full or in partial payments, as determined by the head of the agency or designated official. Recovery of indebtedness for advance payment shall not be required when it is determined by the head of the agency or designated official that the recovery would be against equity or good conscience or against the public interest. Findings that formed the basis for waiver of recovery shall be filed in the employee's personnel folder on the permanent side. For the period covered by any payment made under this subpart, the employee shall be considered as performing active Federal service in his or her position without a break in service.
Tracking: Employees issued Prepaid Cards will receive monthly activity statements (not a bill) from Bank of America.
Prepaid Card Restrictions:
· There are no merchant category code restrictions.
· The spending capability of the card is limited to the dollar amount loaded.
· There is a $6 hundred daily ATM limit; however the employee can obtain the maximum daily limit of $3 thousand by taking the card to a bank.
2. Subsistence Payments
Subsistence payments may be provided from the date of departure from the area being evacuated to the date of arrival at the agency designated safe haven in accordance with 5 CFR 550.405(a). An agency designated safe haven is defined as a designated area to which an employee or dependent will be or has been evacuated. On the date following arrival at the agency designated safe haven, subsistence payments may continue until the date that the evacuation order is terminated, or 180 days after the effective date of the order to evacuate, whichever is earlier. An employee must be returned to his/her regular duty station, or appropriate action must be taken to reassign him/her to another duty station, as in accordance with 5 CFR 550.406(c). The maximum per diem, and one half the maximum per diem for dependents under age 12, may be paid to the employee and his/her designated representative for up to 30 days. After 30 days, 60 percent of the maximum per diem may be paid for up to another 150 days. The per diem rates and percentages paid are provided in detail below.
Approval: Supervisors or higher level officials may authorize subsistence payments to employees and their dependents. Payments should be authorized (for both employees and dependents) on the AD-202.
Additional
Information and Restrictions
Transportation: Travel expenses for the employee and dependents will be determined, in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), from the evacuated area to the agency designated safe haven and for their return to the previously evacuated area, as authorized.
Lodging-plus: Actual amount of lodging plus a set allowance for meals and expenses (per diem).
Per Diem Percentages Allowed:
Adult 1st 30 days: Employees and dependants that are 12 years and older are entitled to 100 percent of the maximum per diem.
Adult 31-180 days: Employees and dependants that are 12 years and older are entitled to 60 percent of the maximum per diem.
Children 1st 30 days: Dependents under the age of 12 are entitled to 50 percent of the maximum per diem.
Children 31-180 days: Dependents under the age of 12 are entitled to 30 percent of the maximum per diem.
Dependent: As defined under the Office of Personnel Management regulations a dependant is a relative of the employee residing with the employee and dependent on the employee for support.
Vouchering:
· Employees: Employees should receive travel authorizations for their personal subsistence expenses. Vouchers should be completed using the normal travel voucher processes.
o Consult your supervisor or administrative staff to determine travel authorization and voucher processes.
o USDA’s travel authorization (AD-202) and voucher (AD-616) forms should be used to authorize and voucher travel expenses.
o Note that the authorizations should be completed to allow only those expenses authorized by 5 CFR 550.405.
· Dependents: Subsistence expenses will be reimbursed using a SF-1164, “Claim for Reimbursement for Expenditures on Official Business.” The SF-1164 must be approved by the employee’s supervisor or designated authority.
Paying Subsistence Expenses (see Example Scenario in Appendix A):
· Prepaid card (dependent expenses only)
o Prepaid cards are limited to the balance authorized.
o Prepaid cards can include the subsistence payments of dependents. Employees should use the travel card or travel advance processes.
o The amount issued on the Prepaid card must be subtracted from the reimbursement requested on an SF-1164. See page A-4 of Appendix A, “Example Scenario” for the recommended format.
o Supervisors or a designated authority may request Prepaid cards at (800) 981-3026 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. central time.
· Travel card (employees only)
o If the employee needs to make ATM withdrawals and does not have a PIN, contact Bank of America customer service at
1-800-472-1424 to obtain PIN.
o The amount reimbursed on the travel card may not exceed the amount authorized for subsistence payments.
o Employees using the travel card will need to provide Bank of America with their new temporary address and are expected to pay in a timely manner.
· Travel advance (employees without a travel card)
o Consult your supervisor or administrative staff to obtain a travel advance through USDA’s travel system.
o Travel advances should be repaid via the travel voucher. Block 40 of AD-616 allows for repaying travel advances.
Restrictions:
· Receipts documenting actual lodging and transportation costs will be required. If receipts are unavailable, supervisors can accept alternate documentation at their discretion. (Example: Employee lost receipt due to the need to evacuate, documentation of the charges from EAGLS or Bank of America billing statements can be used.)
· Subsistence per diem can be used for any purpose. If lodging expenses are not charged to the employee (or family), no lodging reimbursement will be provided. This includes lodging provided by evacuation shelters, family and charities.
· If the employee leaves the agency designated safe haven or performs official temporary duty travel, subsistence payments to the employee will be suspended for this period. Payments will continue for dependents that remain at the agency designated safe haven and will resume for the employee when they return to the agency designated safe haven. Administrative or sick leave does not interrupt subsistence payments.
· If dependents of the employee leave the agency designated safe haven, subsistence payments will be suspended for this period. Payments will resume once the dependent returns to the agency designated safe haven. Payments will continue for the employee and dependents that remain at the agency designated safe haven.
· Subsistence payments will terminate for both the employee and dependents when the evacuation is terminated or when an employee is assigned to a permanent duty station (relocation).
· The per diem amount claimed must be reduced for meals provided by the government or complimentary lodging meals. Use the appropriate schedule to calculate the reduction for each meal provided (current schedule, as of the publication date of this regulation, follows). If the maximum per diem rate is reduced due to the age of a dependent or the length in subsistence, the schedule below should be reduced by the same percentage.
|
Employees and
Adult Dependents (12+ Years Old) – Days 1-30 |
||||||
|
Meals |
Per Diem
Breakdown by Agency
Designated Safe Haven |
|||||
|
|
Location 1 |
Location 2 |
Location 3 |
Location 4 |
Location 5 |
Location 6 |
|
Breakfast |
$6 |
$7 |
$7 |
$9 |
$9 |
$10 |
|
Lunch |
6 |
8 |
8 |
9 |
11 |
12 |
|
Dinner |
16 |
18 |
20 |
22 |
24 |
26 |
|
Incidental |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Total Daily Per Diem |
$31 |
$35 |
$39 |
$43 |
$47 |
$51 |
|
Employees and
Adult Dependents (12+ Years Old) – Days 31-180 |
||||||
|
Meals |
Per Diem
Breakdown by Agency
Designated Safe Haven |
|||||
|
|
Location 1 |
Location 2 |
Location 3 |
Location 4 |
Location 5 |
Location 6 |
|
Breakfast |
3.60 |
4.20 |
4.20 |
5.40 |
5.40 |
6.00 |
|
Lunch |
3.60 |
4.80 |
4.80 |
5.40 |
6.60 |
7.20 |
|
Dinner |
9.60 |
10.80 |
12.00 |
13.20 |
14.40 |
15.60 |
|
Incidental |
1.80 |
1.80 |
1.80 |
1.80 |
1.80 |
1.80 |
|
Total Daily Per Diem |
18.60 |
21.60 |
22.80 |
25.80 |
28.20 |
30.60 |
|
Dependents Less
Than 12 Years Old– Days 1-30 |
||||||
|
Meals |
Per Diem
Breakdown by Agency
Designated Safe Haven |
|||||
|
|
Location 1 |
Location 2 |
Location 3 |
Location 4 |
Location 5 |
Location 6 |
|
Breakfast |
3.00 |
3.50 |
3.50 |
4.50 |
4.50 |
5.00 |
|
Lunch |
3.00 |
4.00 |
4.00 |
4.50 |
5.50 |
6.00 |
|
Dinner |
8.00 |
9.00 |
10.00 |
11.00 |
12.00 |
13.00 |
|
Incidental |
1.50 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
1.50 |
|
Total Daily Per Diem |
15.50 |
18.00 |
19.00 |
21.50 |
23.50 |
25.50 |
|
Dependents Less
Than 12 Years Old – Days 31-180 |
||||||
|
Meals |
Per Diem
Breakdown by Agency
Designated Safe Haven |
|||||
|
|
Location 1 |
Location 2 |
Location 3 |
Location 4 |
Location 5 |
Location 6 |
|
Breakfast |
1.80 |
2.10 |
2.10 |
2.70 |
2.70 |
3.00 |
|
Lunch |
1.80 |
2.40 |
2.40 |
2.70 |
3.30 |
3.60 |
|
Dinner |
4.80 |
5.40 |
6.00 |
6.60 |
7.20 |
7.80 |
|
Incidental |
0.90 |
0.90 |
0.90 |
0.90 |
0.90 |
0.90 |
|
Total Daily Per Diem |
9.30 |
10.80 |
11.40 |
12.90 |
14.10 |
15.30 |
NOTE: Use current Federal Travel Regulation Meals & Incidental Expenses for calculations.
Appendix B
Example Scenario: Employee is
evacuated to the Location 6 safe haven. Travel from the evacuation area begins on
8/28/05 and ends on 8/29/05. Transportation expenses of $3 hundred were
incurred (mileage of personally owned vehicle). Subsistence at the agency designated safe haven begins 8/30/05.
On the evening of 8/28/05,
the employee and dependents (spouse and three children ages 11, 12, and 16)
stay at a relative/friends house (cost $0); 8/29/05 was spent at a motel (two
rooms for a total of $125). The
employee receives a Prepaid card worth $3 thousand as an advance for the
family’s subsistence expenses.
The employee and/or family
stay at the agency designated safe haven location for 81 days. The family rents
an apartment for $2 thousand per month. During that period, some family members
leave according to the schedule below:
During the evacuation and
while at the designated agency designated safe haven location, the following
meals are provided at no cost to the employee and dependents:
The employee would be
reimbursed the following:
|
Dependents (SF 1164) |
|
||
|
Evacuation Subsistence: |
|
||
|
|
|
Cost Item |
Calculation |
|
Day #1
(8/28/05) |
|
|
|
|
Per
Diem |
|
|
|
|
|
Adults
(3) |
153.00 |
51*3 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
25.50 |
51*0.5*1 |
|
Provided
Meals |
|
|
|
|
|
Adults
(3) |
-66.00 |
-(10+12)*3 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
-11.00 |
-(10+12)*0.5 |
|
Total
Day #1 |
101.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Day #2
(8/29/05) |
|
|
|
|
Lodging |
62.50 |
125/2 (Other half on employee’s AD
616) |
|
|
Per
Diem |
|
|
|
|
|
Adults
(3) |
153.00 |
51*3 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
25.50 |
51*0.5*1 |
|
Total
Day #2 |
241.00 |
|
|
|
Total
Evacuation Subsistence Costs: |
|
||
|
Lodging |
|
62.50 |
|
|
Per
Diem |
|
357.00 |
|
|
Less
Meals |
-77.00 |
|
|
|
Total |
|
342.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agency Designated Safe
Haven Subsistence: |
|||
|
Per
Diem |
|
|
|
|
Days 3-8
(8/30-9/4) |
|
|
|
|
|
Adults
(3) |
918.00 |
51*3*6 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
153.00 |
51*0.5*1*6 |
|
Provided
Meals |
|
|
|
|
|
Adults
(3) |
-78.00 |
-26*3 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
-13.00 |
-26*1*0.5 |
|
Total Days 3-8 |
980.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days 9-14
(9/5-9/10) |
|
|
|
|
|
Adults
(3) |
918.00 |
51*3*6 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
153.00 |
51*0.5*6 |
|
Total Days 9-14 |
1,071.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
15-32 (9/11-9/28) |
|
|
|
|
|
Adults
(4) |
2,631.60 |
51*3*16 + 51*3*2*.6 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
438.60 |
51*0.5*16 + 51*.3*2 |
|
Total Days 15-32 |
3,070.20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
33-42 (9/29-10-8) |
0.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
43-54 (10/9-10/19) |
|
||
|
|
Adults
(1) |
336.6 |
51*1*0.6*11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
55-83 (10/20-11/17) |
|
||
|
|
Adults
(3) |
2662.2 |
51*3*0.6*29 |
|
|
Children
(1) |
443.7 |
51*0.3*29 |
|
Total Days 55-83 |
3,105.90 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Safe Haven Subsistence Costs: |
|
||
|
Lodging |
|
0.00 |
|
|
Per
Diem |
|
8,654.70 |
|
|
Less
Meals |
-91.00 |
|
|
|
Less
Prepaid Card Advance |
-3,000.00 |
|
|
|
Total |
|
5,563.70 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Employee (Travel
System) |
|
||
|
Evacuation Subsistence: |
|
||
|
|
Cost Item |
Calculation |
Comments |
|
Day #1
(8/28/05) |
|
|
|
|
Lodging |
0.00 |
Stayed with
relative ($0 cost) |
|
|
Per Diem |
51.00 |
51-10-12 |
|
|
Less
Meals |
-22.00 |
-10-12 |
Breakfast
& Lunch |
|
Transportation |
300.00 |
|
Mileage
for personally owned vehicle |
|
Day #2
(8/29/05) |
|
|
|
|
Lodging |
62.50 |
125/2 |
|
|
Per Diem |
51.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Evacuation Costs |
|
||
|
Lodging |
62.50 |
|
|
|
Per
Diem |
102.00 |
|
|
|
Less
Meals |
-22.00 |
|
|
|
Transportation |
300.00 |
|
|
|
Total |
442.50 |
|
|
|
Agency Designated Safe
Haven Subsistence: |
|||
|
Lodging |
6,000.00 |
2000*3 |
Receipt
Required |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
3-8 |
|
|
8/30 –
9/4 |
|
Per Diem |
306.00 |
51*6 |
|
|
Less Meals |
-38.00 |
-26-12 |
Dinner
and lunch |
|
Net Per
Diem |
268.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
9-14 |
0.00 |
|
9/5 - 9/10 |
|
|
|
|
Employee
on travel. Costs reimbursed under FTR
rules. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
15-32 |
|
(9/11 -
9/28) |
|
|
Per Diem |
877.2 |
+51*16+51*.6*2 |
Reduced
per diem takes affect on day 31 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
33-42 |
0.00 |
|
(9/29 -
10/8) |
|
|
|
|
Nobody at
Agency designated safe haven |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Days
43-83 |
1,224.00 |
51*0.6*40 |
Reduced
per diem |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
Employee Safe Haven Subsistence Costs: |
|||
|
Lodging |
6,000.00 |
|
|
|
Per
Diem |
2,407.20 |
|
|
|
Less
Meals |
38.00 |
|
|
|
Total |
8,445.20 |
|
|