Federal Travel Regulations Changes Affecting Per Diem From: "Susan Sheely" Message-Id: <970310153723.ZM21703@ssheely> Date: Mon, 10 Mar 1997 15:37:22 -0500 X-Mailer: Z-Mail 4.0.2 (4.0.2 Dec 6 1996) To: "USGS Employees" Subject: Federal Travel Regulations Changes Affecting Per Diem Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii This message affects all USGS employees who travel, and those who prepare travel vouchers. Summary: Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) Amendment 54 changed the methodology used to calculate per diem for a partial day of travel. The amendment also eliminates the requirement for you to record the hour of your departure and arrival on the travel voucher; The purpose of the following message is to clarify major points involved in this FTR change. 1) How does the new regulation affect the average traveler? The change replaces the long-standing quarter-day method of computing the Meals & Incidental Expenses (M&IE) allowance for partial days of travel. If you are entitled to per diem, and are on travel for a partial day, you will be paid three-fourths of the applicable M&IE rate. To be entitled to per diem, you must be in a travel status, travel more than 50 miles from your duty station and be away from both your permanent duty station and your home for a minimum of 12 hours. The three-fourths M&IE payment rule and the 12-hour travel status rule applies to temporary duty, house hunting trips, and relocation travel. 2) Do I need to track my time of departure and arrival in order to figure the amount of entitlement due on the first and last day of travel? No, regardless of your departure and arrival times, you will be reimbursed for three-fourths of the applicable M&IE rate for the day of departure and return. You should still record the dates of your departures and arrivals, but there is no need to record the hour. 3) If I'm at a conference or other event where meals are provided, how does that affect my per diem on the first and last day of travel? If any meals are provided to you on a day of partial travel, the value of these will be deducted from your per diem entitlement of three-fourths of the M&IE rate. (Change to FTR Section 301-7.2) 4) How do I calculate partial days when traveling across the international date line? In cases where you cross the international date line (180th meridian), you should use the actual elapsed time in days, to compute the per diem, rather than calendar days. The FTR previously allowed for the "actual elapsed time". (Change to FTR Section 301-7.5) 5) Am I still entitled to per diem when I travel less than 12 hours? No. You must travel for a minimum of 12 hours and meet the requirement in (1) above. (Change to FTR Section 301-7.7) 6) If I am required to travel more than 12 hours but not over 24 hours and I have no lodging costs, how would my reimbursement entitlement be figured? When no lodging is required, your per diem allowance is three-fourths of the applicable M&IE allowed for your temporary duty location. If you travel to more than one temporary duty point, your allowance is calculated using the highest of the M&IE rates for the location where the official business is performed. (Change to FTR Section 301-7.7) 7) What if my travel is more than 12 hours but does not exceed 24 hours, and I do have lodging costs? If this situation arises, the per diem allowable is your actual cost of lodging (limited to the applicable maximum lodging allowance prescribed for the location of the lodging), plus three-fourths of the applicable M&IE rate allowed for the lodging location. (Change to FTR Section 301-7.7) 8) What are the computation rules for travel of more than 24 hours? If lodging is required on the day your travel begins, the per diem allowable for that first day is your actual cost of lodging (limited to the applicable maximum lodging allowance for that location) plus three-fourths of the applicable M&IE rate for the lodging location. (Change to FTR Section 301-7.8) If lodging is not required, you would only get only three-fourths of the destination M&IE rate for that first day. (Change to FTR Section 301-7.8) 9) What happens if I am late obtaining lodging, i.e, it's after midnight before I can check in? Although the per diem generally is based on your location at midnight, there are instances in which you may be en route at that time, and do not arrive at the lodging location (either your temporary duty location or an en route stopover point) until after midnight. In such cases, you should claim the lodging for the preceding calendar day, as though you had checked in by midnight, and your applicable maximum per diem for the preceding day also will be determined as if you had been at the lodging site at midnight. (Change to FTR Section 301-7.8) 10) If my supervisor has limited the maximum per diem rate for my trip, e.g., because some meals or lodging will be provided at a lower rate or no cost to me, how does the three-fourths rule affect me? The answer depends on the specifics of your travel authorization. When reduced rate situations involve partial days, per diem for those days may be set at three-fourths of the reduced rate, or could be a special reduced rate prescribed for partial days, or an amount determined under the lodging-plus system, as considered appropriate by your travel authorizer. Talking to your administrative support staff or the OFM Branch of Travel Management about what you may claim would be a good idea. (Changes FTR Section 301.7.12) 11) If I use leave while I am on travel, do I still have to show dates and times on my reimbursement voucher? Not if you have gone directly to your destination (temporary duty site or home). When you have a leave of absence of any kind while in a travel status, but have taken a direct route, the only required information is the type of leave and the number of hours of leave for each day. (Changes to FTR 301-11.5) 12) If I do not travel directly to my destination, (indirect-route travel), what must be entered on the voucher? The travel voucher should indicate the details of the official travel expenses you actually incurred, the date (not hour) of your departure from the post of duty, and the date (not hour) of your arrival at the place of duty. If you have taken leave while in travel status, the date and time your leave began and ended should be shown. (Change to FTR Section 301-11.5) 13) Does the 12 hour requirement apply to travel in connection with a permanent change of station (PCS)? Yes, the 12 hour requirement applies to all travel associated with a PCS. (Change to FTR Section 302-2.1 14) Is it true that if I am on a house hunting trip, I can now be authorized the locality rate of per diem when necessary to meet the anticipated expenses associated with the trip? Yes, if your travel authorizer has determined that there is a justification for paying above the standard Continental U.S. (CONUS) rate. In most cases the standard CONUS rate should be adequate to meet your house hunting trip expenses. However, if your PCS travel authorizer (usually the gaining office) determines that higher local costs warrant authorizing the locality rate instead of the standard CONUS, the maximum per diem rate you may get shall be the lesser of: a) the rate for the locality where the you seek residence quarters, or b) the rate for the locality where you obtain lodging accommodations. You should review your authorization to verify what you can claim. 15) What per diem rate does my spouse get when traveling with me on a house-hunting trip? Your spouse is limited to a per diem rate of three-fourths of your per diem entitlement (lodging plus M&IE). Since you (the employee) are entitled to three-fourths of the M&IE rate on your first and last day of travel, your spouse would be entitled to 0.5625 of the M&IE rate. (Change to FTR Section 302-2) 16) If my version of Travel Manager software requires me to enter the times of departure and arrival, how do I complete my voucher? This is not a problem on all versions of Travel Manager, but if it is for yours, there is a way to work around it: a) For MS DOS Versions -- From the main screen, tab to EXPENSE window, press F6 -- In the EXPENSE window, put the cursor on the line you wish to change (first or last travel day). -- Move the cursor to the CODE column. (It will indicate NONE.) -- Press the F6 key. -- Select Override M&IE -- Select Change Daily Quarters Calculation -- Type in 3 -- Press the Enter key. b) For Windows Versions (Prior to 5.OF) -- From the main screen, click on Lodging/M&IE -- Click Update Per Diem -- Click on Override -- Type in 3 -- Click OK c) For UNIX Versions -- Enter departure and arrival times on the voucher that will result in a calculation of three-fourths of a day, i.e., departure after 6 a.m., or arrival before 6 p.m. -- Annotate the voucher: "complies with 75% partial travel rule". 17) When will Travel Manager be upgraded to include this feature? The newest release of Travel Manager has this capability. USGS divisions have joined in a bureauwide licensing arrangement to acquire the new version, and we anticipate delivery within 60 days or less. This acquisition will cover all USGS offices -- you do not need to purchase an upgrade. Distribution will be coordinated through division IRM and travel contacts. 18) I have traveled since this change took effect on December 27, 1996. Do I have to submit corrected vouchers for any of this travel? No, you are not required to do so. However, you may submit a corrected voucher if you believe you are owed an additional amount for travel since this time. We have determined that it would not be cost effective nor in the best interests of the USGS to require a substantial administrative effort to identify and recover minor overpayments which may have resulted from those travelers unaware of the three-fourths rule until now. However, if your own examination of your travel shows that you are entitled to a larger reimbursement than you claimed, you may submit a corrected voucher through your normal approval channels. 19) Who can I call for more information? If you have questions regarding these changes to the FTR, please call the Travel Management Branch Help Line (703-648-7614) or Susan Sheely on 703-648-7602 (email ssheely@usgs.gov). For the complete text of the FTR change, you can read Federal Register, Volume 61, No. 250, dated Friday, December 27, 1996. DOI implementation was announced in Financial Administrative Memorandum (FAM) No. 97-004, on February 3, 1997.