1500
- TRAVEL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Issuing Office: OFM 301-496-4379 or
301-402-8831
Release Date: 10/1/05
1. Explanation of Material Transmitted: The material transmitted contains amended language that reflects the General Services Administration updates of Chapter 302 that took place in February of 2002 and subsequent revisions in July of 2004. The HHS Travel Manual does not include a chapter on relocation allowances. Therefore, users should reference this NIH manual chapter and/or the FTR Chapter 302 for applicable guidance.
2. Filing Instructions: Insert: NIH Manual 1500,
Chapter 09 "Relocation Allowances" dated 10/1/05
PLEASE NOTE: For information on:
1500-09-00 Relocation Allowances
A. Authority
This chapter is issued pursuant to Title 5 U.S.C. 5721 et seq, Title 20
U.S.C. 905 (a), and FTR 302-1 – 302-17 (For additional information, you
can access the FTR at the OFM Travel Policy
Home Page at: http://ofm.od.nih.gov/travel/index.htm.
Steps: 1) Click on GSA Federal Travel Regulation - 2) On the left, click
on Federal Travel Regulation - 3) On the left, select the applicable
chapter.
B. Delegations of Authority
See NIH Manual Issuance 1130 - Delegations of Authority, Travel
#6,
6B,
and 6C.
1500-09-01 General Rules and Eligibility Conditions
A. New Appointees and Transferred Employees
1) Persons covered. Except as otherwise
stated in this chapter, the following persons are covered:
a) Civilian officers and employees upon transfer from one official
station or agency to another for permanent duty.
b) Civilian officers and employees assigned to posts of duty outside
the continental United States in connection with overseas tour renewal
agreement travel and upon return to places of residence for the purpose
of separation.
c) New appointees assigned to any position in Government service.
d) Student trainees assigned upon completion of college work to
any position.
e) Career appointees to the Senior Executive Service (SES), and
prior SES appointees who have elected to retain SES retirement benefits,
upon their retirement and return to their place of residence.
f) Service Fellows appointed to duty under Section 207 (f) and (g)
of the Public Health Service Act.
g) Special Experts appointed to duty under 42 U.S.C. 282(d)(1),
285b-3(b)(1), and 285a-2(b)(5).
NOTE: For information on relocation allowances and
benefits of non-FTE individuals, i.e., IRTAs, CRTA's, etc., see NIH
Manual 1500 Chapter 10.
2) Persons excluded. This policy
shall not apply to:
Persons whose pay and allowances are prescribed under Title 37 U.S.
Code, "Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services."
NOTE: Commissioned Officers coverage for relocation
allowances can be referenced in the Joint Federal Travel Regulations
web site as follows: https://secureapp2.hqda.pentagon.mil/perdiem/trvlregs.html.
B. Definitions
1) Continental United States. (CONUS)
means the 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia.
2) Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS).
Means any foreign area, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa,
the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and any other territory under U.S.
jurisdiction.
3) Employee. A civilian
officer or employee of a Federal or executive agency.
4) New appointee. Any person newly
appointed to Government service including an individual who has performed
transition activities under Section 3 of the Presidential Transition
Act of 1963 (3 U.S.C. 102 note) and student trainees as defined in FTR
302-3.1.
5) Agency. Means:
a) An "Executive agency" (an executive department, an independent
establishment, the General Accounting Office, or a wholly owned Government
corporation);
b) The District of Columbia.
6) Immediate family. Any of the
following named members of the employee's household at the time the
employee reports for duty:
a) Spouse;
b) Children (unmarried under 21 years, or physically or mentally
incapable of self-support);
c) Dependent parents; and
d) Dependent brothers and sisters.
7) Temporary storage.
Storage of household goods for a limited period of time at the origin,
destination, or en route in connection with transportation to, from,
or between official stations or posts of duty or authorized alternate
points.
8) Non-temporary storage.
Storage of household goods while an employee is assigned to or is at
an official station or post of duty to which the employee will not or
cannot transport these household goods.
9) Mobile home. Any type of house
trailer or mobile dwelling constructed for use as a residence and designed
to be moved overland, either by self-propulsion or towing. Also, a boat
when used as the employee's primary residence.
10) Household goods.
All personal property associated with the home and all personal effects
belonging to an employee and the immediate family when shipment begins,
and which can be legally accepted and transported as household goods
by an authorized commercial carrier in accordance with the rules and
regulations established or approved by an appropriate Federal or State
regulatory authority, except the items excluded in this paragraph. Snowmobiles
and vehicles with two or three wheels may be shipped as household goods.
The following are excluded:
a) Automobiles, trucks, vans and similar motor vehicles; airplanes;
mobile homes; camper trailers; and farming vehicles;
b) Live animals, birds, fowls, and reptiles;
c) Cordwood and building materials;
d) Property held for resale, disposal, or commercial use rather
than for personal use by the employee or the employee's immediate
family; and
e) Any property or items which carriers' tariffs prohibit carriers
from accepting for shipment e.g., perishable food, flammable items,
plants, and similar material.
NOTE:
Items that are irreplaceable or of extreme value or sentiment are not
provided special security even if extra insurance is purchased. Employees
and their families are advised to personally transport these articles.
11) Official station or post of duty.
The building or other place where the civilian officer or employee regularly
reports for duty. With respect to relocation entitlements related to
the residence and household goods and personal effects of the employee,
official station also means the residence or other quarters from which
the employee regularly commutes to and from work.
12) Effective date of transfer or appointment.
The effective date of the SF 50 "Notification of Personnel
Action."
C. Policy
Relocation allowances generally fall into one
of two categories: mandatory or discretionary allowances. Dollar limitations
for mandatory allowances may not be set lower than that prescribed by
the applicable Federal Travel Regulations. Funding for these allowances
must come from the current fiscal year at the time the SF 50 "Notification
of Personnel Action" or other appointment document is signed. Each IC
is responsible for fully funding all allowable and authorized relocation
actions and for providing related documentation to the OD/Office of
Financial Management.
1) First Official Station Travel (New Appointees).
a) Discretionary Coverage. Under FTR
302-1.1, the head of an agency, or the head’s designated official, may
authorize the payment of travel and transportation expenses and
applicable allowances in the case of new appointees, as defined in FTR
302-3.1, relocating to their first official station.
b) Mandatory Allowances. New appointees to any
position are eligible for payment only of those travel and
transportation expenses listed in Table A (within CONUS) or Table B (OCONUS)
accordingly, of the FTR 302-3.2 in relocating to their first official
station. Provided an employee meets the eligibility conditions
governing the allowance in question, once an agency authorizes payment
of such expenses, it must pay all of the allowable
relocation expenses. Those expenses are as follows:
- Travel expenses including per diem for the appointee;
- Transportation for immediate family;
- Mileage if POV is used in travel;
- Transportation and temporary storage of household goods;
- Nontemporary storage of household goods if appointed to an isolated
location; and
- Transportation of a mobile home.
c) Discretionary Allowances. A new appointee may
also be eligible for shipment of a private owned vehicle (See See
FTR 302-9).
NOTE: For a complete summary on types of appointments
to a first official station and the corresponding relocation allowances,
see NIH Manual 1500 Appendix 9, Table
1 "Travel
Benefits for Federal Employees".
2) Change of Official Station Travel (Transfers
- Including Promotions and Reassignments).
a) Mandatory Coverage. Under
FTR 302-1.1, when change of official duty station or other similar
action is authorized or approved, travel and transportation expenses
and applicable allowances as described in this chapter shall be
paid in the case of:
1. An employee transferring from one official duty station
to another permanent duty station, provided the transfer is
in the best interest of the Government; and
a. the transfer to the new duty station must be at least 50 miles
distance from the old duty station; and
b. in the case of a short distance (at least 50
miles), a determination of eligibility is made under FTR
302-2.6. When the change of official station involves a distance of
less than 50 miles, the IC Delegated Official may authorize
relocation allowances if, 1) the one way commuting pattern from the
residence to the old duty station when compared to the pattern from
the residence to the new duty station increases by at least 10 miles
but no more than 50 miles; or 2) there is an increase in commuting
time to the new duty station; or 3) a financial hardship is created
due to an increase in commuter costs. or
2. eligible employees outside the continental U.S. traveling
in connection with overseas tour renewal travel as provided in FTR
302-3.101; or
3. eligible employees returning from posts of duty outside
the continental U.S. to places of actual residence for separation
as provided in FTR 302-3.101; or
4. eligible individuals qualifying for "last move home" benefits
upon separation from Government service as provided in FTR
302-3.101.
a) Discretionary Coverage. Under FTR 302-3.400,
travel allowances may be paid for an employee authorized a temporary
change of station in connection with the employee’s long-term
assignment to a temporary official station.
b) Mandatory Allowances. When all of the eligibility
conditions in 2(a) above are met, the following allowances are mandatory:
- Transportation and per diem of the employee and his or her
family members to the new location, including travel by a
privately-owned automobile (See FTR 302- 4.200.
- Miscellaneous expenses (See FTR 302-16);
- Expenses in connection with residence transactions (See FTR
302-11);
- Transportation of mobile homes (See FTR 302-10);
- Transportation and temporary storage of household goods, professional
books, papers, equipment (See FTR 302-7); and
- Nontemporary storage of household goods when posted to an isolated
location within the CONUS (See FTR 302-8).
c) Discretionary Allowances. When
all of the eligibility conditions in 2(a) above are met, the following
allowances are discretionary:
- Temporary quarters subsistence expenses (See FTR 302-6);
- Expenses in connection with a house hunting trip (See FTR 302-5);
- Transportation or emergency storage of a privately owned vehicle
(See FTR 302-9);
- Use of a relocation services company (See FTR 302-12);
- Home marketing incentives (See FTR 302-14); and
- Property management services for individuals stationed abroad
(See FTR 302-15).
For the allowance that provides a relocation income tax allowance,
the discretion rests only with the traveler. If claimed, the NIH must
provide the full tax related reimbursements (See FTR 302-17).
3) Return Travel from Appointment.
a) Mandatory Allowances for Title 42 Special Experts. In
line with Section 402 of the PHS Act and Title 5 of the United States
Code, Full time and Part-time Special Experts shall be
reimbursed for their expenses associated with traveling from their
place of service to their place of residence, upon completion of their
appointment. NOTE: Intermittent Special Experts are not
entitled to these allowances (See NIH
Manual 2300-304-1).
b) Discretionary Allowances for Title 42 Service Fellows.
In line with 42 CFR 61.37 and at the discretion of the IC Scientific
Director, an individual appointed as a fellow may be authorized
the following allowances in line with travel from the last duty
station to the place of residence which he/she left to accept the
fellowship, or to some other place at no greater cost to the
Government:
- personal travel or transportation and per diem;
- travel allowances or transportation for his/her immediate
family, and;
- transportation of household goods and personal effects
NOTE: For a complete summary on types of appointments
engaging in transfers from one official station to another and the
corresponding relocation allowances, see NIH
Manual 1500 Appendix 9, Table 2 "Travel Benefits for Federal Employees".
The coverages and allowances contained in this section
are predicated upon proper authorization of the corresponding expenses
(see NIH
Manual Chapter 2300-335-1, "NIH Merit Promotion Plan", Section
E, 'Vacancy Announcement' - Title 5 Appointments and Transfers).
For information about Title 42 new appointments and transfers,
you can reference the following manual chapters/regulations:
- NIH Staff Fellowship Program - 2300-320-1;
- 42 U.S.C. 209(f) and (g) Appointments for Scientists - 2300-320-2 (pending
revision). Current information can be accessed at the following web
site address: http://hr.od.nih.gov/Title42/320-2.PDF;
- Employment
of Special Experts - 2300-304-1;
- Senior Biomedical Research Service (SBRS) - 42 CFR 24.
D. General Provisions
1) Travel authorization. AA
written Travel Authorization (manual version) shall be issued to the new
appointee or transferring employee before he or she reports to the first
or new official station. The agency must advise the employee, or
individual selected for appointment, not to incur expenses for
travel in anticipation of relocation until he or she has received
written notification. The travel authorization shall indicate the
specific allowances which are authorized as provided in this policy and
provide instructions on the Federal procedures for acquisition of travel
and transportation services.
NOTE: In line w/ several provisions in FTR 302, an employee
may begin his/her move once they have signed the HHS-355 and they have a
paper version of the signed Travel Authorization in hand. In the case
of the HHS-355 "Employment Agreement
for Transfers and Appointments Overseas" (see Section E below), if
an employee fails to sign this document, the NIH will not reimburse them
for expenses incurred. For a copy of the HHS-355 Form, reference the
following web site: http://intranet.hhs.gov/forms/HHS/HHS-355.pdf.
2) Applicable provisions for reimbursement.
. Because of successive changes to the
statutes and the regulatory provisions governing relocation allowances
and the extended period of time that employees retain eligibility for
certain allowances, reimbursement allowances will not be the same for
all employee’s claims. The regulatory provisions in effect on an
employee’s effective date of transfer or appointment shall be used for
payment or reimbursement purposes. (See FTR 302-2.3).
E. Service Agreements
1) Transfers within the continental United States (CONUS) and
appointments and assignments of new appointees and student trainees
to any position within the United States. I.
In connection with the transfer of employees between official
stations within the continental U.S., expenses authorized in this
chapter shall not be allowed until the employee selected for this
transfer agrees in writing to remain in the service of the Government
for 12 months following the effective date of the transfer unless
separated for reasons beyond the employee’s control and acceptable to
the Agency. In case of a violation of this agreement, including failure
to effect the transfer, any funds expended by the United States for
expenses authorized in this chapter shall be recoverable from the
individual concerned as a debt due the United States. Such an agreement
also is required from new appointees and student trainees appointed or
assigned to any position within the United States as a condition of
payment for travel, transportation, moving and/or storage of household
goods, and allowances as provided in FTR 302-3.2. A signed agreement for
12 months service is required for each permanent change of station.
2) Transfers, appointments, and separations involving posts
of duty OCONUS. In connection with the transfer or
appointment of employees to posts of duty outside the continental United
States, or between posts located in separate countries, or separate
areas of the United States located outside CONUS, expenses of travel,
transportation, moving and/or storage of household goods or other
allowances shall not be authorized until the employee selected agrees in
writing to remain in the service of the Government for 12 months
following the effective date of the transfer or appointment, unless
separated for reasons beyond his or her control that are approved by the
agency.
F. Employee Liability
The agreement to remain in the service of the Government for 12 months
following the effective date of transfer is not voided by a subsequent
transfer whether the subsequent transfer is at the employee’s request or
in the interest of the Government, nor is the agreement voided by another
service agreement made in connection with a second transfer. The liability
of the employee for any funds expended by the U.S. for that employee’s
travel, transportation, and relocation allowances is a separate liability
for each service agreement. The liability in each instance is effective
for the full 12-month period in connection with the transfer for which the
service agreement was made.
G. Time Limits/Exceptions for Beginning Travel
and Transportation
All travel, including that for the employee’s immediate family, and
transportation, including household goods, shall be accomplished as soon
as possible. The maximum time for beginning allowable travel and
transportation shall not exceed 2 years from the effective date of the
employee’s transfer or appointment, except that:
1) The two-year time period is exclusive of any
time spent on furlough for an employee who begins active military
service before the expiration of the two-year period and who is
furloughed for the duration of his or her assignment to the post of duty
for which transportation expenses are allowed;
2) The two-year time period does not include
any time during which travel and transportation is not feasible due
to shipping restrictions for an employee who is transferred or appointed
to or from a post of duty outside the continental U.S.; and
3) The two-year period shall be extended
for an additional period of time not to exceed an additional two years
when the 2-year time limitation for completion of residence transactions
is extended (see FTR 302-11.21). In line with
FTR 302-11.23, an employee is required to
submit a request for this extension to the Director, Office of Financial
Management, not later than 30 calendar days after the initial 2-year
expiration date.
H. Two or More Family
Members Employed
1) Members of the same immediate family who
are employees. When two or more employees
are members of the same immediate family, the allowances authorized
under this chapter shall apply either to:
a) Each employee separately, in which instance none
of the employees is eligible for any allowance as a member of the
immediate family; or
b) Only one of the employees (that being the employee
selected for the new position of employment), in which case the other
employee(s) is eligible for allowances solely as a member(s) of the
immediate family.
2) Non-employee members of the immediate family. When
two or more employee members of the same immediate family elect separate
allowances under paragraph 1) (a) above, non-employee members of the
immediate family shall not receive duplicate allowances because of the
fact that the employee members elected separate allowances.
3) Payment limitation. When employee
members of the same immediate family elect separate allowances under
paragraph 1) (a) above, the employing agency or agencies shall not
make duplicate payment for the same expenses.
4) Procedures. A determination as to which of the
two alternatives provided in paragraph 1) (a) above is selected shall
be made in writing and signed by all employee members of the same immediate
family. When employee family members elect separate allowances under
paragraph 1) (a), the determination also shall specify under which employee
member's authorization non-employee family members will receive allowances.
A copy of this determination shall be filed with the agency in which
each employee member is employed.
I. Reduction-in-Force Involved
1) Impending separation. When an employee
is assigned to a new official station after having been notified of
involuntary separation not for cause but incident to the reduction,
cessation, or transfer of the work at the station where the employee was
employed, the transfer of the employee is deemed to be in the interest
of the Government unless there is an affirmative administrative
determination that the transfer is primarily for the employee’s
convenience or benefit.
2) Reemployment after separation. A former
employee separated by reason of reduction-in-force or transfer of
function who, within 1 year of the date of separation is re-employed by
an agency for a non-temporary appointment, at a different permanent duty
station from that where the separation occurred, may be allowed and paid
the expenses and other allowances (excluding non-temporary storage when
assigned to an isolated permanent duty station within the continental
U.S.). These procedures would occur in the same manner as though he or
she had been transferred in the interest of the Government to the
permanent duty station where re-employed, from the permanent duty
station where separated, without a break in service, and subject to the
eligibility limitations as described in this chapter.
1500-09-02 Relocation Travel and Shipping Allowances
and Benefits
A. Agency Notification Responsibilities
All prospective candidates for appointment or assignment to the NIH
shall be notified and fully informed of the benefits which may be
available to them for travel and transportation involved in reporting
to their official stations. Special care must be taken as well to
adequately inform new personnel of the limitations on available
benefits. For benefit limitations on New Appointees, reference FTR
302-3.2. For benefit limitations on Transfers, reference FTR 302-3.101.
B. Procedural Requirements
No payment for otherwise allowable expenses or advance of funds shall
be made unless the service agreement appropriate to the
employee's particular situation is signed.
C. NIH Resource Pamphlet/Request Form
The NIH pamphlet entitled "NIH Travel
and Shipping of Household Goods Entitlements for Employees"
contains guidelines and information on travel and transportation
allowances, methods of shipment of household goods, and residence transactions.
The NIH Form 2028 "Request for Permanent Change of Station
Orders– Civilian Personnel and Other Appointed Individuals" is
included for immediate use by the new employee.
(See http://forms.nih.gov/adobe/personnel/NH2028.PDF
(Both the form and pamphlet are included in here.)
D. Advance of Funds
An employee may be advanced funds for use while traveling and for
certain expenses which the employee may incur incident to a transfer based
on his or her prospective entitlement to reimbursement for those expenses
after they are incurred.
1) Anticipated relocation entitlements that may justify an
advance. The expected relocation entitlement
of an employee to reimbursement for the following expenses will form
the basis for payment of a travel advance.
a) Per diem, mileage, and common carrier costs incident to the
employee’s change of official station travel within CONUS. (See FTR
302-4.200 for specific details).
b) Authorized house-hunting trips. (See 302-5).
c) Subsistence while occupying temporary quarters. (See 302-6 for
specific details).
d) Transportation and temporary storage of household goods. (See
FTR 302-7 for specific details).
e) Transportation of mobile homes. (See FTR 302-10).
f ) Transportation and storage of the employee's automobile. (See
FTR 302-9).
2) No advance allowed. Travel
advances will not be issued to cover any of the expenses authorized by
subpart B "Relocation Entitlements Upon Separation for
Retirement" of FTR 302-3. Transportation expenses should be paid
through the use of U.S. Government Transportation Accounts (GTA) and
U.S. Government Bills of Lading to the maximum extent possible to
minimize travel and transportation costs and the need for individuals to
use personal funds.
3) Rules. Advances and collection of
advances by deduction from the employee’s voucher are the same as for
regular Federal travelers on official business travel. (See FTR 301-51
and 301-71).
E. Funding of Transfers Between Agencies
1) Transfer from one agency to another.
Allowable expenses shall be paid from the funds of the agency to which
the employee is transferred.
2) Transfers between agencies for reasons of reduction-in-force
or transfer of functions. Allowable expenses may be paid in
whole or in part by the agency from which the employee is transferred or
by the agency to which the employee is transferred as may be agreed upon
by the heads of the agencies concerned. (See FTR 302-3.205)
1500-09-03 Pre-employment Interview
- Reimbursement of Travel Expenses
References for this section include HHS Travel Manual Chapter 1-30
"Travel for Pre-employment Interview", and FTR 301-75
"Pre-employment Interview Travel", 5 CFR Part 572 "Travel
and Transportation Expenses: New Appointees and Interviews".
A. Policy
Allowable expenses are subject to the limitations applicable to a
Government employee traveling on official business. However, an agency is
not required to offer all allowances to each interviewee. In accordance
with 5 CFR 572.102, the agency has the discretion to pay travel and
transportation or interview expenses in filling any position. The agency
can also consider such factors as availability of funds as well as the
desirability of conducting an interview for a particular job or offering a
recruitment incentive to a particular candidate.
B. Eligibility Determination
It is HHS policy that such payments should be limited to applicants for
certain high-level or unique positions when the interview is necessary to
determine the applicant’s qualifications for the position.
1) Competitive Service and Excepted Service (non-competitive)
Travel expenses for pre-employment interviews may be reimbursed under
the following conditions:
a) A determination is made that a position is of such a high-level
or is so unique that interviews are necessary to enable the hiring
agency to determine the applicants’ qualifications.
b) Payments of travel expenses will be limited to applicants for
unique or high-level positions that are defined as technical,
professional, or administrative. These positions are considered to be
those with unusual combinations of duties, responsibilities, and
qualifications. Authorizing officials should take into account the
costs associated with travel of top-ranked applicants.
2) Entry-level positions. The authority to
reimburse travel expenses for pre-employment interviews is not to be
used for entry-level positions, except in rare and unique cases; for
example, research scientists with doctoral degrees.
C. Application
1) Authorization. Reimbursements of travel
expenses for pre-employment interviews must be approved in advance on a
Travel Authorization in the automated
travel system. The purpose field must include a sentence to the effect
that a personal interview is necessary to evaluate the traveler's
qualifications for employment.
2) Expenses limitations. Travel
expenses authorized for pre-employment interviews are the same as those
authorized for regular travel on official business. An Actual Expense
Allowance cannot be authorized for per diem expenses.
3) No advance of funds. An advance of funds cannot
be authorized for pre-employment interviews.
4) Fire safety responsibilities. A
prospective employee should be encouraged for his or her safety to stay
in a Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) approved
accommodation while performing interview travel, and the agency shall
provide the individual with a list of approved accommodations in the
applicable areas.
5) Interviewee's potential liability notice. ICs
should make every effort to provide written instructions to the
interviewee explaining NIH administrative procedures for controlling and
accounting for passenger transportation documents. The
prospective employee is accountable for all transportation tickets
issued for use in performing pre-employment interview travel.
6) Claiming travel expenses. Claims for
reimbursement of pre-employment travel expenses are processed in the
same manner as other claims for travel expenses and allowances. The IC
Delegated Official must consider all travel expenses to be incurred and
the time constraints when approving reimbursement for a pre-employment
interview.
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