August 1, 1996
25.4.116
The Executive Committee considered, in between meetings, the Foreign Service Directives Committee's report and agreed that, where an employee arranges to travel by ship for all or part of relocation travel, relocation provisions 15.03, 15.04(a) and (b), 15.06(a), 15.08, 15.09 and 15.17, shall be interpreted as follows:
1. The maximum amount which an employee may claim for relocation travel shall be limited to the transportation entitlement, including assistance for authorized stopovers, where applicable, as established by the employer, in accordance with FSD 15.03/15.04:
(a) Where an employee is not shipping a private motor vehicle and has not exercised the option for a transportation entitlement under FSD 45 - Foreign Service Leave/Option;(b) Where an employee is shipping a private motor vehicle and has not exercised the option for a transportation entitlement under FSD 45 - Foreign Service Leave/Option, the total entitlement shall include the cost determined by the deputy head for shipment of a PMV in accordance with FSD 15.17(e);
(c) Where an employee exercises the option for a transportation entitlement under FSO 45 - Foreign Service Leave/Option, the total entitlement for relocation travel, as specified in (a) and (b) above, shall include the transportation entitlement authorized by the deputy head in accordance with FSO 45.04(c).
2. Within the authorized transportation entitlement, an employee may claim:
(a) the actual cost of transportation by sea between one overseas harbour and a North American harbour, for example, Southampton, New York;
(b) 50% of the actual cost of transportation by sea between one overseas harbour and a North American harbour, where a transportation entitlement has been authorized in accordance with FSO 45 Foreign Service Leave/Option;
(c) actual costs incurred for shipment of a private motor vehicle, where such costs are not included in the total ticket price for transportation/travel by ship, as well as additional costs related to the shipment of a PMV, such as dock charges and insurance; it should be noted that all arrangements related to the shipment of a PMV are the responsibility of the employee;
(d) admissible traveling expenses incurred for surface travel from the employee's former place of duty to the point of embarkation, and from the point of debarkation to the new place of duty, including any authorized stopovers in accordance with FSO 15.04(b); where a transportation entitlement has been authorized in accordance with FSO 45 - Foreign Service Leave/Option, transportation expenses only, as specified in FSO 45, may be claimed; and
(e) exceptions to the above will be considered, in advance of travel, by the appropriate foreign service interdepartmental coordinating committee, keeping in mind the purpose of the travel; an employee who proceeds with such travel arrangements without the approval of the committee may be held accountable for any related costs.
3. It should be also be noted that:
(a) where air service is not used for relocation travel, any time required in excess of the travel time involved in the most practical and economical journey by air will be charged to the employee's leave credits, and must be authorized in advance of travel; and
(b) where an employee is claiming for transportation expenses under FSD 15 Relocation, FSD 45.04(c) Foreign Service Leave Option, or FSD 50.04(a) Foreign Service Vacation Travel Assistance, which cannot be clearly identified by the carrier (for example, cruises or package tours), reimbursement shall be limited to 50% of the ticket price; similarly, where an employee is claiming for rental of a recreational vehicle such as a motor home, camper, or houseboat, only 50% of the cost may be claimed.