Expenses and Entitlements

5.1 Application

5.1.1 A person employed for a specified term or part-time is eligible for the benefits provided in this part when:

  1. assigned to an isolated post for a period of three months or more, and
  2. required to work more than one-third of the normal working hours of a full-time indeterminate employee of the same occupational group and level.

5.1.2 Employees who are granted leave without pay for the following reasons shall be eligible for the benefits of this part: illness, injury-on-duty or maternity/parental leave.

5.1.3 When employees have completed five or more continuous years of service at isolated posts and are transferred out of isolation, the deputy head shall authorize reimbursement for transportation of the household and personal effects that exceed the weight limits, up to a maximum of 450 kg in excess weight.

5.2 Retirement, Disability, Workforce Adjustment, Non-Disciplinary Termination

5.2.1 When employees have completed a period of five or more continuous years of employment at isolated posts, and ceased to be employees by reason of

  1. their retirement under the Public Service Superannuation Act;
  2. termination of employment for reason of medical retirement;
  3. a workforce adjustment;
  4. termination of employment pursuant to Section 12(1)(d) and (e) of the Financial Administration Act, for reasons other than breaches of discipline or misconduct,

they shall be reimbursed the relocation expenses referred to in Section 5.8, in an amount that does not exceed the amount that would be incurred in relocating to their normal place of residence. (revised July 16, 2008)

5.3 Resignation (less than one year)

5.3.1 Employees who resign from the Public Service and who have not completed at least one continuous year of employment at the isolated post, or have not completed their specified term of employment (if less than a year), shall not be entitled to relocation, transportation and/or travelling assistance, in respect of themselves and/or their dependants.

5.4 Resignation (one year or more)

5.4.1 Employees who resign from the Public Service, having received any benefit pursuant to the NJC Integrated Relocation Directive and having completed one or more continuous years of employment at isolated posts, shall be reimbursed the expenses referred to in Section 5.8 in an amount that does not exceed the amount that would be incurred in relocating to the point of departure.

5.5 Completed Specified Period Appointment (less than one year)

5.5.1 When employees have been reimbursed transportation and/or travelling expenses to an isolated post, and have completed a specified period of appointment of less than one year at an isolated post, they shall be reimbursed the amount of the transportation and travelling expenses they incur in leaving the isolated post for:

  1. themselves, if assigned for a period of less than three months; or
  2. themselves and their dependants, if assigned for a period of three months or more,

up to the amount of the expenses that would be incurred if travelling to the point of departure.

5.6 Completed Specified Period Appointment (one to five years)

5.6.1 When employees have completed their specified period of appointment of one to five years at an isolated post, and have been at their headquarters for more than one year and less than five years, they shall be reimbursed the expenses referred to in Section 5.8, in an amount that does not exceed the amount that would have been incurred in relocating to the point of departure.

5.7 Disciplinary Termination

5.7.1 Where employment is terminated for disciplinary reasons (pursuant to Section 12(1)(c) of the Financial Administration Act) and the employee has completed at least five continuous years of employment at isolated posts, the employee shall be reimbursed those expenses referred to in Section 5.8 up to an amount that would be incurred in relocating to the point of departure.

5.8 Reimbursement of Expenses

5.8.1 Subject to this part (see Appendix J), the total of the relocation expenses, in accordance with the NJC Integrated Relocation Directive, that may be reimbursed to employees who relocate to a location other than their headquarters or to accommodations at the headquarters as a direct result of being required to vacate government-owned or government-leased accommodations, shall be limited to:

  1. the relocation expenses for household and personal effects and private motor vehicles or recreational vehicles, including those that may be in storage pursuant to Section 4.4;
  2. transportation and travelling expenses for employees and their dependants; and
  3. up to six days' interim accommodation, except if the employment ends pursuant to sub-section 5.2, in which case it shall be up to fifteen days' interim accommodation.

5.8.2 Whenever employees are eligible for reimbursement of expenses under this part they shall, upon request, be granted an accountable advance. The advance should normally be provided before the trip begins. However, when this is not possible, the advance should be given at the first location en route where such payment is feasible.

5.9 Entitlements of Persons who are no Longer Dependants

5.9.1 For the purpose of this part, the following persons shall be deemed dependants:

  1. an unmarried person who was a dependant on the date the employee was assigned to the headquarters, and who is permanently residing with the employee; and
  2. family members who are permanently residing with the employees but who are precluded from qualifying as dependants under the Income Tax Act because they are in receipt of pensions.

5.10 Time Limit to Incur Expenses

5.10.1 Subject to this section, no amount may be paid in respect of expenses that are incurred later than the ninetieth (90th) calendar day following termination of employment.

5.10.2 When transportation for household and personal effects is not available within the 90‑day period, expenses may be reimbursed if the effects are transported at the earliest date transportation is available.

5.10.3 When an employee dies, the time period may be extended for such longer period as the deputy head deems necessary.

5.10.4 Deputy heads may, under exceptional circumstances, extend the period for a period of up to six months.

5.10.5 The President of the Treasury Board may, on written application, authorize the payment of amounts that are prohibited by this section.

5.11 Death of Employees or Dependants

5.11.1 Subject to this section, when employees or their dependants die, the deputy head shall authorize the reimbursement to those employees or their estates of the expenses incurred in

  1. the preparation of the remains for transportation, other than the cost of embalming or cremation,
  2. the extra cost in respect of a container for the remains, if required by the carrier, and
  3. the transportation expenses in respect of the remains from the headquarters to the final place of rest in Canada, or to the last place in Canada from which the remains are to be transported to the final place of rest outside Canada.

5.11.2 When an employee dies and the surviving dependants relocate, they shall be reimbursed the benefits of Section 5.8 in an amount that does not exceed the amount that would have been incurred in relocating to their normal place of residence. (revised July 16, 2008)

5.11.3 The weight restrictions specified in subsection 4.4.1 shall be determined as if the relocation occurred immediately before the death of the employee.

5.11.4 When an employee dies and the surviving dependants travel from the headquarters to attend the funeral, the deputy head shall direct that the transportation and travelling expenses incurred by them in respect of that travel be reimbursed in an amount not to exceed the amount that would have been incurred in travelling to the point of departure and back by the mode(s) of transportation used by them.