§301-70.503 When the employee is able to travel, should we continue the use of the existing travel authorization?

Not if the interrupted trip was authorized under a trip by trip authorization. If, when the employee's health has been restored, the agency decides that it is in the Government's interest to return the employee to the TDY location, such return is considered to be a new travel assignment at Government expense. An interrupted trip authorized under an open or limited open authorization may be continued without further authorization.

8301-70.504 May any travel costs be

reimbursed if the employee travels to an alternate location for medical treatment?

Yes. When an employee, interrupts a TDY assignment because of an incapacitating illness or injury and takes leave of absence for travel to an alternate location to obtain medical services and returns to the TDY assignment, you may reimburse certain excess travel costs provided in this section. Specifically, you may reimburse the excess (if any) of actual costs of travel from the point of interruption to the alternate location and return to the TDY assignment, over the constructive costs of round-trip travel between the official station and the alternate location. The nearest hospital or medical facility capable of treating the employee's illness or injury will not, however, be considered an alternate location.

NOTE TO $301-70.504: An alternate location is a destination other than the employee's official station or the point of interruption.

§301-70.505 How do we define actual cost and constructive cost when an employee interrupts a travel assignment because of an incapacitating illness or injury?

(a) Actual cost of travel will be the transportation expenses incurred and en route per diem for the travel as actually performed from the point of interruption to the alternate location and from the alternate location to the TDY assignment. No per diem is allowed for time spent at the alternate location if confined to a medical facility.

(b) Constructive cost is the sum of transportation expenses the employee would reasonably have incurred for round-trip travel between the official station and the alternate location plus per diem calculated for the appropriate en route travel time.

§301-70.506 May we authorize per diem if an employee discontinues a TDY_assignment because of a personal emergency situation?

Yes. Expenses of appropriate transportation and per diem while en route may be allowed, with the approval of an appropriate agency official, for return travel from the point of interruption to the official station.

§301-70.507 How do we handle reimbursement if the employee travels to an alternate location and returns to the TDY location because of a personal emergency situation?

You may reimburse certain excess travel costs (transportation and en route per diem) to the same extent as provided in §301-70.501 for incapacitating illness or injury to the employee.

§301-70.508 What factors must we consider in expanding the definition of family for emergency travel purposes?

Agencies must consider on a case by case basis:

(a) The extent of the emergency;

(b) The employee's relationship to the individual involved in the emergency; and

(c) The degree of the employee's responsibility for the individual involved in the emergency.

§301-70.600 What governing policies and procedures must we establish related to threatened law enforcement/investigative employees?

You must establish policies and procedures governing:

(a) When you will pay transportation and subsistence expenses of threatened law enforcement/investigative employees, under part 301-31 of this chapter;

(b) Who will determine the degree and seriousness of threat in each individual case;

(c) Who will determine what protective action should be taken, including the location and duration of temporary lodging;

(d) Who will reevaluate the situation to determine whether protective action should be continued or discontinued and how often;

(e) What procedures must be followed to obtain authorization of transportation and subsistence expenses for threatened law enforcement/investigative employees; and

(f) What special procedures must an employee follow to claim expenses. §301-70.601 What factors should we

consider in determining whether to authorize payment of transportation and subsistence expenses for threatened law enforcement/investigative employees?

You should consider:

(a) The degree and seriousness of the threat. You should pay transportation and subsistence expenses only if a situation poses a legitimate serious threat to life.

(b) The option of relocating the employee. You should consider whether relocating the employee permanently would be advantageous given the specific nature of the threat, the continued disruption of the family, and the alternative costs of a change of official station.

§301-70.602 How often must we reevaluate the payment of transportation and subsistence expenses to a threatened law enforcement/investigative employee?

You must reevaluate the situation every 30 days based on the same factors you considered when you first authorized the payment of the expenses.

Subpart H-Policies and Procedures Relating to Mandatory Use of the Government Contractor-Issued Travel Charge Card for Official Travel

SOURCE: FTR Amdt. 90, 65 FR 3056, Jan. 19, 2000, unless otherwise noted.

§301-70.700 Must our employees use a

Government contractor-issued travel charge card for official travel expenses?

Yes, your employees must use a Government contractor-issued travel charge card for official travel expenses unless:

(a) A vendor does not accept the travel charge card;

(b) The Administrator of General Services has granted an exemption. (see § 301-70.704); or

(c) Your agency head or his/her designee has granted an exemption.

8301-70.701 Who has the authority to

grant exemptions to mandatory use of Government contractor-issued travel charge card for official travel?

(a) The Administrator of General Services will exempt any payment, person, type or class of payments, or type or class of personnel in any case in which

(1) It is in the best interest of the United States to do so;

(2) Payment through a travel charge card is impractical or imposes unreasonable burdens or costs on Federal employees or Federal agencies; or

(3) The Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Transportation (for the Coast Guard) requests an exemption for the members of their uniformed services.

(b) The head of a Federal agency or his/her designee(s) may exempt any

en-route travel and househunting trip expenses are not covered by this requirement. [FTR Amdt. 90, 65 FR 3056, Jan. 19, 2000, as amended by FTR Amdt. 92, 65 FR 21366, Apr. 21, 2000]

8301-70.705 What methods of payment for official travel expenses may we authorize when an exemption from use of the Government contractorissued travel charge card is granted?

When you grant an exemption from use of the Government contractorissued travel charge card, you may authorize one or a combination of the following methods of payment:

(a) Personal funds, including cash or personal charge card;

(b) Travel advances; or

(c) Government Transportation Request (GTR).

NOTE TO §301-70.705: City pair contractors are not required to accept payment by the methods in paragraph (a) or (b) of this section.

Subpart B-Travel Authorization

301-71.100 What is the purpose of the travel authorization process?

301-71.101 What travel may we authorize? 301-71.102 May we issue a single authorization for a group of employees? 301-71.103 What information must be included on all travel authorizations? 301-71.104 Who must sign a travel authorization?

301-71.105 Must we issue a written or electronic travel authorization in advance of travel?

301-71.106 Who must sign a trip-by-trip authorization?

301-71.107 When authorizing travel, what factors must the authorizing official consider?

301-71.108 What internal policies and procedures must we establish for travel authorization?

Subpart C-Travel Claims for Reimbursement

301-71.200 Who must review and sign travel claims?

301-71.201 What are the reviewing official's responsibilities?

301-71.202 May we pay a claim when an employee does not include a copy of the corresponding authorization?

301-71.203 Who is responsible for the validity of the travel claim?

301-71.204 Within how many calendar days after the submission of a proper travel claim must we reimburse the employee's allowable expenses?

301-71.205 Under what circumstances may we disallow a claim for an expense? 301-71.206 What must we do if we disallow a travel claim?

301-71.207 What internal policies and procedures must we establish for travel reimbursement?

301-71.208 Within how many calendar days after submission of a proper travel claim must we notify the employee of any errors in the claim?

301-71.209 Must we pay a late payment fee if we fail to reimburse the employee within 30 calendar days after receipt of a proper travel claim? 301-71.210

How do we calculate late payment

fees? 301-71.211 Is there a minimum amount the late payment fee must exceed before we will pay it?

301-71.212 Should we report late payment fees as wages on a Form W-2? 301-71.213 Is the additional fee, which is the equivalent to any late payment charge that the card contractor would have been able to charge had the employee not paid the bill, considered income?

301-71.214 Does mandatory use of the Government contractor-issued travel charge card change the employee's obligation to pay his/her travel card bill by the due date?

Subpart D-Accounting for Travel Advances

301-71.300 What is the policy governing the use of travel advances?

301-71.301 For how long may we issue a travel advance?

301-71.302 What data must we capture in our travel advance accounting system? 301-71.303 Are we responsible for ensuring the collection of outstanding travel advances?

301-71.304 When must an employee account for a travel advance?

301-71.305

Are there exceptions for collecting an advance at the time the employee files a travel claim?

301-71.306 How do we collect the amount of a travel advance in excess of the amount of travel expenses substantiated by the employee?

301-71.307 What should we do if the em

ployee does not pay back a travel advance when the travel claim is filed? 301-71.308 What internal policies and procedures must we establish governing travel advances?

AUTHORITY: 5 U.S.C. 5707; 40 U.S.C. 486(c); Sec. 2, Pub. L. 105-264, 112 Stat. 2350 (5 U.S.C. 5701 note).

SOURCE: 63 FR 15974, Apr. 1, 1998, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A-General

8301-71.1 What is the purpose of an agency travel accounting system?

To:

(a) Pay authorized and allowable travel expenses of employees;

(b) Provide standard data necessary for the management of official travel; and

(c) Ensure adequate accounting for all travel and transportation expenses for official travel.

8301-71.2 What are the standard data

elements and when must they be captured on a travel accounting system?

The data elements are listed in appendix C of this chapter and must be on any travel claim form authorized for use by your employees.

8301-71.104 Who must sign a travel authorization?

Your agency head or an official to whom such authority has been delegated. This authority may be delegated to any person(s) who is aware of how the authorized travel will support the agency's mission, who is knowledgeable of the employee's travel plans and/ or responsible for the travel funds paying for the travel involved.

8301-71.105 Must we issue a written or electronic travel authorization in advance of travel?

Yes, except when advance written or electronic authorization is not possible or practical and approval is in accordance with §§ 301-2.1 and 301-2.5 for:

(a) Use of premium-class service on common carrier transportation;

(b) Use of a foreign air carrier; (c) Use of reduced fares for group or charter arrangements;

(d) Use of cash to pay for common carrier transportation;

(e) Use of extra-fare train service;
(f) Travel by ship;

(g) Use of a rental car;

(h) Use of a Government aircraft; (i) Payment of reduced rate per diem; (j) Payment of actual expenses; (k) Travel expenses related to emergency travel;

(1) Transportation expenses related to threatened law enforcement/investigative employees and members of their immediate families;

(m) Travel expenses related to travel to a foreign area, except as provided by agency mission;

(n) Acceptance of payment from a non-Federal source for travel expenses (see chapter 304 of this title); and

(0) Travel expenses related to attendance at a conference.

NOTE TO $301-71.105: You should establish procedures for travel situations where it is not practical or possible to issue a written authorization in advance, except for paragraphs (c), (i), (n), and (0), which always require written or electronic advance authorization.

8301-71.106 Who must sign a trip-bytrip authorization?

The appropriate official is determined as follows: