May 6, 2004
INSTRUCTIONS FOLLOWING FSD 42.01
1. The Foreign Service Directives Committee of the National Joint Council has reviewed and agreed to amend the Instructions following FSD 42.01 to address the problems experienced by employees who obtain a medical or dental advance at one rate of exchange and must repay the advance at a different rate of exchange. The changes listed below will result in the way in which advances are administered and will protect employees from exchange rate fluctuations.
2. Instruction 2 has been changed to read:
2. In order to protect employees from exchange rate fluctuations, advances may be calculated and reimbursed in Canadian dollars or in some other currency, where this is the currency used in all of the following:
(a) the estimate of costs from the health care provider submitted by the employee in support of the medical/dental expense advance;
(b) the payment for services for which the advance was approved; and
(c) the reimbursement of the employee's claim of insurance.
3. Instruction 3 has been changed to read:
3. The deputy head has delegated authority to the Head of Mission to approve and monitor all medical/dental advances for employees at their Mission(s) of responsibility. It is the HOM's responsibility to ensure the legality and suitability of the currency in which the advance is requested, where this is not Canadian dollars. In the case of an advance to the HOM, authority must be sought from the FSD Policy and Administration Division, DFAIT.