September 1, 1986
25.4.30
The grievor sought reimbursement of the cost of maintaining his dependants in temporary accommodation at a location removed from the location of the employee.
The Administrative Committee had at a past meeting considered the report of the Foreign Service Directives Committee which noted that living expenses in temporary accommodation are payable at the employee's old and new place of duty for the period during which he is unable to occupy permanent accommodation and that FSD 15.42 provided for the use of managerial discretion in cases where the deputy head is of the opinion that the assistance provided under any section is clearly inadequate for the employee.
The Foreign Service Directives Committee had agreed that there was no authority under FSD 15.33(a) to pay living expenses in temporary accommodation other than at the old and new place of duty. Therefore the only means to reimburse the employee was provided within FSD 15.42.
The Administrative Committee had then instructed the General Secretary to ascertain as to whether managerial discretion had been used.
The Administrative Committee noted that the General Secretary was in receipt of a letter from the department stating that they had considered all the circumstances giving rise to the grievance and evaluated them against FSD 15.42 in particular and that in their judgment, the circumstances surrounding the case did not cause an obvious injustice to the employee and therefore did not call for additional assistance.
The Administrative Committee agreed that the grievor had been treated within the intent of the directive.
The grievance was denied.