PART 300-1-THE FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATION (FTR)

Sec.

300-1.1 What is the FTR?

300-1.2 What is the purpose of the FTR?

AUTHORITY: 5 U.S.C. 5707; 5 U.S.C. 5738; 5 U.S.C. 5741-5742; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); 31 U.S.C. 1353; 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 49 U.S.C. 40118; E.O. 11609, 3 CFR, 1971-1975 Comp., p. 586.

SOURCE: 63 FR 15951, Apr. 1, 1998, unless otherwise noted.

§300-1.1 What is the FTR?

The FTR is the regulation contained in 41 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Chapters 300 through 304, which implements statutory requirements and Executive branch policies for travel by Federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at Government expense.

§300-1.2 What is the purpose of the FTR?

There are two principal purposes:

(a) To interpret statutory and other policy requirements in a manner that balances the need to assure that official travel is conducted in a responsible manner with the need to minimize administrative costs;

(b) To communicate the resulting policies in a clear manner to Federal agencies and employees.

AUTHORITY: 5 U.S.C. 5707; 5 U.S.C. 5738; 5 U.S.C. 5741-5742; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); 31 U.S.C. 1353; 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 49 U.S.C. 40118; E.O. 11609, 3 CFR 1971-1975 Comp., p. 586.

SOURCE: 63 FR 15951, Apr. 1, 1998, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A-General

§300-2.1 What formats exist in the FTR?

The FTR is written in two formatsthe question & answer format and the title and narrative format.

Subpart B-Question & Answer Format

§ 300-2.20 What is the purpose of the question & answer format?

The Q&A format is an effective way to engage the reader and to break the information into manageable pieces.

§300-2.21 How is the rule expressed in the question and answer format? The rule is expressed in both the question and answer.

§ 300-2.22 Who is subject to the FTR?

Employees and agencies. Since the user may be an employee or an agency, portions of the FTR have been separated into employee and agency sections. However, while the employee provisions are addressed to the employee, the rules expressed in those provisions apply to the agency as well. The following lists the relevant employee and agency sections of the FTR:

Subpart C-Title and Narrative Format

§300-2.70 How is the rule expressed in the title and narrative format?

The rule is in the narrative. The title serves only as a tool to determine the subject of the rule.

PART 300-3-GLOSSARY OF TERMS

AUTHORITY: 5 U.S.C. 5707; 5 U.S.C. 5738; 5 U.S.C. 5741-5742; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); 31 U.S.C. 1353; 40 U.S.C. 486(c); 49 U.S.C. 40118; E.O. 11609, 3 CFR, 1971-1975 Comp., p. 586.

§ 300-3.1 What do the following terms mean?

Actual expense-Payment of authorized actual expenses incurred, up to the limit prescribed by the Administrator of GSA or agency, as appropriate. Entitlement to reimbursement is contingent upon entitlement to per diem, and is subject to the same definitions and rules governing per diem.

Approved accommodation-Any place of public lodging that is listed on the national master list of approved accommodations. The national master list of all approved accommodations is compiled, periodically updated, and published in the FEDERAL REGISTER by FEMA. Additionally, the approved accommodation list is available on the

Conference-A meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium or event that involves attendee travel. The term "conference" also applies to training activities that are considered to be conferences under 5 CFR 410.404.

Continental United States (CONUS)— The 48 contiguous States and the District of Columbia.

Contract carriers-U.S. certificated air carriers which are under contract with the government to furnish Federal employees and other persons authorized to travel at Government expense with passenger transportation service. This also includes GSA's scheduled airline passenger service between selected U.S. cities/airports and between selected U.S. and international cities/airports at reduced fares.

Employee with a disability (also see Special Needs)—

(a) An employee who has a disability as defined in paragraph (b) of this definition and is otherwise generally covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 701-797b).

(b) "Disability," with respect to an employee, means:

(1) Having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;

(2) Having a record of such an impairment;

(3) Being regarded as having such an impairment; but

(4) Does not include an individual who is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs, when the covered entity acts on the basis of such use.

(c) "Physical or mental impairment"

means:

(1) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense

organ, respiratory (including speech organs), cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine; or

(2) Any mental or psychological disorder (e.g., mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness and specific learning disabilities).

(3) The term "physical or mental impairment" includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, and orthopedic, visual, speech and hearing impairments.

(d) "Major life activities" means functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

(e) "Has a record of such an impairment" means the employee has a history of, or has been classified as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

(f) "Is regarded as having such an impairment" means the employee has:

(1) A physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but the impairment is treated by the agency as constituting such a limitation;

(2) A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities as a result of the attitudes of others toward such an impairment; or

(3) None of the impairments defined under "physical or mental impairment", but is treated by the employing agency as having a substantially limiting impairment.

Family (see Immediate family)

Foreign air carrier—An air carrier who is not holding a certificate issued by the United States under 49 U.S.C. 41102.

Foreign area (see also non-foreign area)-Any area, including the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, situated both outside CONUS and the nonforeign areas.

contractor-issued charge card used by authorized individuals to pay for official travel and transportation related expenses for which the contractor bills the employee.

Government-furnished

automobile—An automobile (or "light truck," as defined in 41 CFR 101-38 including vans and pickup trucks) that is:

(a) Owned by an agency,

(b) Assigned or dispatched to an agency from the GSA Interagency Fleet Management System, or

(c) Leased by the Government for a period of 60 days or longer from a commercial source.

Government-furnished vehicle-A Government-furnished automobile or a Government aircraft.

Government Transportation Request (GTR) (Standard Form 1169)—A Government document used to procure common carrier transportation services. The document obligates the Government to pay for transportation services provided.

Immediate family-Any of the following named members of the employee's household at the time he/she reports for duty at the new permanent duty station or performs other authorized travel involving family members: (a) Spouse;

(b) Children of the employee or employee's spouse who are unmarried and under 21 years of age or who, regardless of age, are physically or mentally incapable of self-support. (The term "children" shall include natural offspring; stepchildren; adopted children; grandchildren, legal minor wards or other dependent children who are under legal guardianship of the employee or employee's spouse; and an unborn child(ren) born and moved after the employee's effective date of transfer.);

(c) Dependent parents (including step and legally adoptive parents) of the employee or employee's spouse; and

(d) Dependent brothers and sisters (including step and legally adoptive brothers and sisters) of the employee or employee's spouse who are unmarried and under 21 years of age or who, regardless of age, are physically or mentally incapable of self-support.

Interviewee-An individual who is being considered for employment by an

agency. The individual may currently be a Government employee.

Invitational travel-Authorized travel of individuals either not employed or employed (under 5 U.S.C. 5703) intermittently in the Government service as consultants or experts and paid on a daily when-actually-employed basis and for individuals serving without pay or at $1 a year when they are acting in a capacity that is directly related to, or in connection with, official activities of the Government. Travel allowances authorized for such persons are the same as those normally authorized for employees in connection with TDY. Lodgings-plus per diem system-The method of computing per diem allowances for official travel in which the per diem allowance for each travel day is established on the basis of the actual amount the traveler pays for lodging, plus an allowance for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE), the total of which does not exceed the applicable maximum per diem rate for the location concerned.

Mandatory mobility agreement—Agreement requiring employee relocation to enhance career development and progression and/or achieve mission effectiveness.

Non-foreign area-The States of Alaska and Hawaii, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands and the territories and possessions of the United States (exIcludes the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands).

Official station-The official station of an employee or invitational traveler (see §301-1.2) is the location of the employee's or invitational traveler's permanent work assignment.

The geographic limits of the official station are:

(a) For an employee:

(1) The corporate limits of the city or town where stationed or if not in an incorporated city or town;

(2) The reservation, station, or other established area (including established subdivisions of large reservations) having definite boundaries where the employee is stationed.

(b) For an invitational traveler:

(1) The corporate limits of the city or town where the home or principal place

of business exists or if not in an incorporated city or town;

(2) The reservation, station, or other established area (including established subdivisions of large reservations) having definite boundaries where the home or principal place of business is located.

Per diem allowance-The per diem allowance (also referred to as subsistence allowance) is a daily payment instead of reimbursement for actual expenses for lodging (excluding taxes), meals, and related incidental expenses. The per diem allowance is separate from transportation expenses and other miscellaneous expenses. The per diem allowance covers all charges, including any service charges where applicable for:

(a) Lodging. Includes expenses, except lodging taxes, for overnight sleeping facilities, baths, personal use of the room during daytime, telephone access fee, and service charges for fans, air conditioners, heaters and fires furnished in the room when such charges are not included in the room rate. Lodging does not include accommodations on airplanes, trains, buses, or ships. Such cost is included in the transportation cost and is not considered a lodging expense.

(b) Meals. Expenses for breakfast, lunch, dinner and related tips and taxes (specifically excluded are alcoholic beverage and entertainment expenses, and any expenses incurred for other persons).

(c) Incidental expenses. (1) Fees and tips given to porters, baggage carriers, bellhops, hotel maids, stewards or stewardesses and others on ships, and hotel servants in foreign countries.

(2) Transportation between places of lodging or business and places where meals are taken, if suitable meals can be obtained at the TDY site; and

(3) Mailing cost associated with filing travel vouchers and payment of Government-sponsored charge card bil

lings.

Place of public accommodation-Any inn, hotel, or other establishment within a State that provides lodging to transient guests, excluding:

(a) An establishment owned by the Federal Government;

(b) An establishment treated as an apartment building by State or local law or regulation; or

(c) An establishment containing not more than 5 rooms for rent or hire that is also occupied as a residence by the proprietor of that establishment.

Post of duty-An official station outside CONUS.

Privately owned aircraft-An aircraft that is owned or leased by an employee for personal use. It is not owned, leased, chartered, or rented by a Government agency, nor is it rented or leased by an employee for use in carrying out official Government business.

Privately owned automobile-A car or light truck (including vans and pickup trucks) that is owned or leased for personal use by an individual.

Privately Owned Vehicle (POV)-Any vehicle such as an automobile, motorcycle, aircraft, or boat operated by an individual that is not owned or leased by a Government agency, and is not commercially leased or rented by an employee under a Government rental agreement for use in connection with official Government business.

Reduced per diem-Your agency may authorize a reduced per diem rate when there are known reductions in lodging and meal costs or when your subsistence costs can be determined in advance and are lower than the prescribed per diem rate.

Special conveyance-Commercially rented or hired vehicles other than a privately owned vehicle and other than those owned or under contract to an agency.

a

Special needs (also see Employee with a disability)-Physical characteristics of traveler not necessarily defined under disability. Such physical characteristics could include, but are not limited to, the weight or height of the traveler.

Temporary duty (TDY) location-A place, away from an employee's official

station, where the employee is authorized to travel.

Travel advance-Prepayment of estimated travel expenses paid to an employee.

Travel authorization (Orders)-Written permission to travel on official business. There are three basic types of travel authorizations (orders):

(a) Unlimited open. An authorization allowing an employee to travel for any official purpose without further authorization.

(b) Limited open. An authorization allowing an employee to travel on official business without further authorization under certain specific conditions, i.e., travel to specific geographic area(s) for specific purpose(s), subject to trip cost ceilings, or for specific periods of time.

(c) Trip-by-trip. An authorization allowing an individual or group of individuals to take one or more specific official business trips, which must include specific purpose, itinerary, and estimated costs.

Travel claim (Voucher)-A written request, supported by documentation and receipts where applicable, for reimbursement of expenses incurred in the performance of official travel, including permanent change of station (PCS) travel.

Travel Management System (TMS)-A system to arrange travel services for Federal employees on official travel, including reservation of accommodations and ticketing. A TMS includes a travel management center, commercial ticket office, electronic travel manageother commercial ment system, or method of arranging travel.

[63 FR 15951, Apr. 1, 1998; 63 FR 35537, June 30, 1998, as amended by FTR Amdt. 75, 63 FR 66674, Dec. 2, 1998; FTR Amdt. 76, 64 FR 2434, Jan. 14, 1999; FTR Amdt. 87, 64 FR 67670, Dec. 2, 1999]