[Title 41 CFR 302]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - July 1, 2002 Edition]
[Title 41 - PUBLIC CONTRACTS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT]
[Subtitle F - Federal Travel Regulation System]
[Chapter 302 - RELOCATION ALLOWANCES]
[Subchapter C - PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS) ALLOWANCES FOR]
[Part 302 - 5--ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSEHUNTING TRIP EXPENSES]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
41PUBLIC CONTRACTS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT42002-07-012002-07-01false5--ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSEHUNTING TRIP EXPENSES302PART 302PUBLIC CONTRACTS AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENTFederal Travel Regulation SystemRELOCATION ALLOWANCESPERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION (PCS) ALLOWANCES FOR
PART 302-5--ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSEHUNTING TRIP EXPENSES--Table of Contents
Subpart A--Employee's Allowance for Househunting Trip Expenses
Sec.
302-5.1 What is a ``househunting trip''?
302-5.2 What is the purpose of the househunting trip expenses
allowance?
302-5.3 Am I eligible for a househunting trip expenses allowance?
302-5.4 Who is not eligible for a househunting trip expenses allowance?
302-5.5 Must my agency authorize payment of a househunting trip
expenses allowance?
302-5.6 Under what circumstances will I receive a househunting trip
expenses allowance?
302-5.7 Who may travel on a househunting trip at Government expense?
302-5.8 How many househunting trips may my agency authorize in
connection with a particular transfer?
302-5.9 May my spouse and I perform separate househunting trips at
Government expense?
302-5.10 How soon may I and/or my spouse begin a househunting trip?
302-5.11 Is there a time limit on the duration of a househunting trip?
302-5.12 When must my househunting trip be completed?
302-5.13 What methods may my agency use to reimburse me for
househunting trip expenses?
302-5.14 What transportation expenses will my agency pay?
302-5.15 Must I document my househunting trip expenses to receive
reimbursement?
302-5.16 May I receive an advance of funds for househunting trip
expenses?
302-5.17 Am I in a duty status when I perform a househunting trip?
302-5.18 May I retain any balance left over from my househunting
reimbursement if my fixed amount is more than adequate to
cover my househunting trip?
Subpart B--Agency Responsibilities
302-5.100 How should we administer the househunting trip expenses
allowance?
302-5.101 What governing policies must we establish for the
househunting trip expenses allowance?
302-5.102 Under what circumstances may we authorize a househunting
trip?
302-5.103 What factors must we consider in determining whether to offer
an employee the fixed amount househunting trip subsistence
expense reimbursement option?
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5738; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); E.O. 11609, 36 FR 13474,
3 CFR, 1971-1973 Comp., p. 586.
Source: FTR Amdt. 98, 66 FR 58196, Nov. 20, 2001, unless otherwise
noted.
Subpart A--Employee's Allowance For Househunting Trip Expenses
Note to subpart A: Use of the pronouns ``I'' and ``you'' throughout
this subpart refers to the employee.
Sec. 302-5.1 What is a ``househunting trip''?
The term ``househunting trip'' refers to a trip made by the employee
and/or spouse to your new official station locality to find permanent
living quarters to rent or purchase. The term ``living quarters'' in
this part includes apartments, condominiums, and cooperatives in
addition to townhouses and single family homes.
Sec. 302-5.2 What is the purpose of the househunting trip expenses allowance?
The allowance for househunting trip expenses is intended to
facilitate and expedite the employee's move from your old official
station to your new official station and to lower the Government's
overall cost for the employee's relocation by reducing the amount of
time an employee must occupy temporary quarters. The allowance for
househunting trip expenses provides the employee and/or spouse a period
of time to concentrate on finding a suitable permanent residence at the
new official station and thereby expedites the employee's relocation.
Sec. 302-5.3 Am I eligible for a househunting trip expenses allowance?
You are eligible for a househunting trip expenses allowance if you
are an employee who is authorized to transfer, and in addition:
(a) Both your old and new official stations are located within the
United States;
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(b) You are not assigned to Government or other prearranged housing
at your new official station; and
(c) Your old and new official stations are 75 or more miles apart
(as measured by map distance) via a usually traveled surface route.
Sec. 302-5.4 Who is not eligible for a househunting trip expenses allowance?
New appointees and employees assigned under the Government Employees
Training Act (5 U.S.C. 4109) are not eligible for a househunting trip
expenses allowance.
Sec. 302-5.5 Must my agency authorize payment of a househunting trip expenses allowance?
No, your agency determines when it is in the Government's interest
to authorize you a househunting trip and the procedures you must follow
if it is authorized.
Sec. 302-5.6 Under what circumstances will I receive a househunting trip expenses allowance?
You will receive a househunting trip expenses allowance if:
(a) Your agency authorized you to perform a househunting trip in
advance of the travel (the agency authorization must specify the mode of
transportation and the period of time allowed for the trip);
(b) You have signed a service agreement;
(c) Your agency has established, and informed you of, the date you
are to report to your new official station; and
(d) You meet any additional conditions your agency has established.
Sec. 302-5.7 Who may travel on a househunting trip at Government expense?
Only you and/or your spouse may travel on a househunting trip at
Government expense.
Sec. 302-5.8 How many househunting trips may my agency authorize in connection with a particular transfer?
Your agency may authorize only one round trip for you and/or your
spouse in connection with a particular transfer.
Sec. 302-5.9 May my spouse and I perform separate househunting trips at Government expense?
Yes, however, your reimbursement will be limited to the cost that
would have been incurred if you and your spouse had traveled together on
one round trip.
Sec. 302-5.10 How soon may I and/or my spouse begin a househunting trip?
You may begin your househunting trip as soon as your agency has
notified you of your transfer and issued a travel authorization for a
househunting trip. To take maximum advantage of your trip, however, it
is very important that you become familiar as quickly as you can with
your new official station area (e.g., housing market conditions, school
locations, etc.). If you are selling your residence at your old official
station, you should not begin your househunting trip until you have a
current appraisal of the value of the residence so that you can more
accurately determine the appropriate price range of residences to
consider during your househunting trip.
Sec. 302-5.11 Is there a time limit on the duration of a househunting trip?
A househunting trip should be for a reasonable period, not to exceed
10 calendar days, as authorized by your agency under Sec. 302-5.101(d).
Sec. 302-5.12 When must my househunting trip be completed?
You and/or your spouse must complete your househunting trip as
indicated in the following table:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your househunting trip must be
For completed by
------------------------------------------------------------------------
You.................................... The day before you report to
your new Official station.
Your spouse............................ The earlier of:
(a) The day before your family
relocates to your new official
station; or
(b) The day before the maximum
time for beginning allowable
travel expires (see Sec. 302-
2.100 of this chapter).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 302-5.13 What methods may my agency use to reimburse me for househunting trip expenses?
Your agency will reimburse your househunting trip expenses as
indicated in the following table:
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
For You are reimbursed
------------------------------------------------------------------------
You and/or your spouse's transportation Your actual transportation
expenses. costs.
You and/or your spouse's subsistence One of the following:
expenses..
(a) A per diem allowance for
you and/or your spouse as
prescribed under part 302-4,
subpart C of this chapter; or
(b) If you accept your agency's
offer of the fixed amount
option, and:
(1) Both you and your spouse
perform a househunting trip
either together or separately,
a single amount determined by
multiplying the applicable
locality rate (listed in
appendix A to chapter 301 of
this subtitle) by 6.25 or
(2) Only one of you performs a
househunting trip, an amount
determined by multiplying the
applicable locality rate
(listed in appendix A to
chapter 301 of this subtitle)
by 5.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sec. 302-5.14 What transportation expenses will my agency pay?
Your agency will authorize you to travel by the transportation
mode(s) (e.g., airline, train, or privately owned automobile) it
determines to be advantageous to the Government. Your agency will pay
for your transportation expenses by the authorized mode(s). If you
travel by any other mode(s), your agency will pay your transportation
expenses not to exceed the cost of transportation by the authorized
mode(s).
Sec. 302-5.15 Must I document my househunting trip expenses to receive reimbursement?
To receive reimbursement for househunting trip transportation
expenses you must itemize your transportation expenses and provide
receipts as required by Sec. 301-11.3(c) of this title. For fixed amount
househunting trip subsistence reimbursement, you do not need to document
your subsistence expenses. For per diem househunting trip subsistence
expense reimbursement, you must itemize your lodging expenses and you
must provide receipts as required by Secs. 301-7.9(b) and 301-11.3(c) of
this title.
Sec. 302-5.16 May I receive an advance of funds for househunting trip expenses?
Your agency may authorize an advance of funds, in accordance with
Sec. 302-2.20 of this chapter, for your househunting trip expenses. Your
agency may not advance you funds in excess of the sum of your
anticipated transportation costs and either the maximum per diem
allowable under part 302-4 of this chapter for the location and duration
of your househunting trip or your fixed amount househunting trip
subsistence expenses payment, whichever applies.
Sec. 302-5.17 Am I in a duty status when I perform a househunting trip?
Yes, you are in a duty status when you perform a househunting trip.
Sec. 302-5.18 May I retain any balance left over from my househunting reimbursement if my fixed amount is more than adequate to cover my househunting trip?
Yes, if your fixed househunting amount is more than adequate to
cover your househunting expenses any balance belongs to you.
Subpart B--Agency Responsibilities
Note to subpart B: Use of pronouns ``we'', ``you'', and their
variants throughout this subpart refers to the agency.
Sec. 302-5.100 How should we administer the househunting trip expenses allowance?
You should administer the househunting trip expenses allowance to
minimize or avoid its use when other satisfactory and more economical
arrangement are available.
Sec. 302-5.101 What governing policies must we establish for the househunting trip expenses allowance?
You must establish policies and procedures governing:
(a) When you will authorize a househunting trip for an employee;
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(b) Who will determine if a househunting trip is appropriate in each
situation;
(c) If and when you will authorize the fixed amount option for
househunting trip subsistence expenses reimbursement;
(d) Who will determine the appropriate duration of a househunting
trip for an employee who selects a per diem allowance under part 302-4
of this chapter to reimburse househunting trip subsistence expenses; and
(e) Who will determine the mode(s) of transportation to be used.
Sec. 302-5.102 Under what circumstances may we authorize a househunting trip?
You may authorize a househunting trip on an individual-case basis
when the employee has accepted the transfer and his/her circumstances
indicate that a househunting trip actually is needed. You may not
authorize a househunting trip when the purpose of the trip is to assist
the employee in deciding whether he or she will accept the transfer.
Sec. 302-5.103 What factors must we consider in determining whether to offer an employee the fixed amount househunting trip subsistence expense reimbursement
option?
You must consider the following factors:
(a) Ease of administration. Payment of a per diem allowance under
part 302-4 of this chapter requires you to review claims for the
validity, accuracy, and reasonableness of each expense amount, except
for meals and incidental expenses. Fixed amount househunting trip
subsistence expenses reimbursement is easier to administer because you
do not have to review expense amounts.
(b) Cost considerations. You must weigh the cost of each
reimbursement option on a case-by-case basis.
(c) Treatment of employees. The employee is allowed to choose
between a per diem allowance under part 302-4 of this chapter and fixed
amount househunting trip subsistence expenses reimbursement when you
offer the fixed amount reimbursement method. You therefore should weigh
employee morale and productivity considerations against actual cost
considerations in determining which method to offer.