October 21, 2005
The following changes to the Foreign Service Directive (FSD) 15 – Relocation, as indicated below, have been approved effective October 1, 2005.
Provisions for business/executive class travel (FSD 15.04(a)(A)(v)) were reviewed to reflect the revised provisions of the Travel Directive for business/executive class travel where continuous air travel exceeds nine hours, only where the employee submits a claim for relocation travel.
Delete old FSD 15.04 (a) (A)
(v) (A)(B)(C)(D)(E)(F)(G):
(v) Where an employee follows the official routing, business or executive-class air travel may be authorized in accordance with the following principles:
(A) Upgrading the class of air travel is a consideration which relates to the actual duration of a single flight or the duration of a continuous air travel, or both.
(B) Continuous air travel time is considered to begin at the scheduled departure time of flight of a journey and end at the earlier of: (a) arrival by air at the destination, (b) the beginning of an overnight stop, or (c) the scheduled arrival time of the first inter-connecting flight(s) within the airline's minimum connecting time rules.
(C) When the employer requires the employee to travel on a continuous flight of nine or more hours with no stops between scheduled departure and scheduled arrival times, upgrading shall be authorized when requested by the employee.
(D) When the employer requires the employee to travel on a direct flight of nine or more hours, with one or more intermediate stops, where the employee is obliged to remain on board the same aircraft, upgrading shall be authorized when requested by the employee.
(E) If an employee changes planes during continuous air travel of nine or more hours thereby providing an opportunity to walk around outside the confines of the plane, such flights shall not be upgraded unless continuous air travel exceeds 12 hours.
(F) When the employer requires the employee to remain in continuous air travel in excess of 12 hours from scheduled departure to scheduled arrival, then all legs of the total flight shall be upgraded. If the employer does not require the employee to remain in continuous air travel in excess of 12 hours from scheduled departure to scheduled arrival, and there is an opportunity for an overnight stop which the employee declines, then upgrading shall not be provided.
(G) There will be situations due to configuration of the aircraft where no upgrade is possible, e.g. single class flight. In these situations where the non stop flight is nine or more hours, OR where the continuous air travel is in excess of 12 hours, the employer is expected to upgrade those flights that do provide upgrade ability as deemed practical.
and replace it by the following:
(v) Where available, business/executive class air travel shall be authorized where continuous air travel exceeds nine hours and the employee submits a claim for relocation travel, with receipts. Continuous air travel starts at the scheduled departure time and ends with the arrival at destination or with an overnight stop or layover equivalent to an overnight stop.
Provisions for a transportation entitlement as part of the non-accountable relocation travel allowance (FSD 15.04(a)(A)(vi)(A)) remain unchanged, ie, they continue to reflect the provisions of the Travel Directive prior to October 1, 2002. The actual text has been simplified to reflect the 9 hour and 12 hour criteria, as follows:
(vi) An employee who makes personal relocation travel arrangements for travel by air may elect for a non-accountable relocation travel allowance (NAA), which shall be determined on an individual basis by the deputy head in advance of travel, in lieu of the specific corresponding provisions of this directive.
The NAA shall be determined by the employer, to include:
(A) A transportation entitlement to reflect:
– full economy (Y) air fare for the employee and each accompanying dependant; or
– business class air fare, where the employee and dependants fly by the official routing which qualifies for business class travel in accordance with section 15.04(a)(v) by virtue of a flight of nine or more hours or continuous air travel in excess of 12 hours from scheduled departure to scheduled arrival, and the employee agrees to subsequently provide evidence (boarding passes or tickets) that all travellers receiving the business class entitlement travelled business class as planned;
from the former place of duty to the new place of duty.
Each employee and dependant is entitled to an individual seat. Where reduced fares are offered for children on airlines acceptable to the Mission, such fares will normally be used to determine the airfare entitlement.
Enquiries
Requests for more information or clarification should be addressed to designated departmental personnel.
Designated departmental officials may contact:
Margaret McCagg
Senior Policy Analyst
Management Policy and Labour Relations
Human Resources Management Office
Treasury Board of Canada, Secretariat
Telephone (613) 946-3714
Fax (613) 952-3002
McCagg.Margaret@tbs-sct.gc.ca