[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 183 (Monday, September 21, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 59311]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-20683]


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GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION

[Notice-MA-2020-11; Docket No. 2020-0002; Sequence No. 30]


Relocation Allowances--Waiver of Certain Federal Travel 
Regulation (FTR) Provisions for Renewal Agreement Travel (RAT) During 
the COVID-19 Pandemic

AGENCY: Office of Government-wide Policy (OGP), General Services 
Administration (GSA).

ACTION: Notice of GSA Bulletin FTR 21-02.

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SUMMARY: This FTR bulletin informs agencies that certain FTR provisions 
governing RAT are temporarily waived as a result of impacts to travel 
from the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

DATES: Applicability Date: This notice is retroactively effective for 
employees whose official RAT was delayed or suspended after March 13, 
2019 (one year prior to the date of the national emergency issued by 
the President concerning COVID-19), and who have not yet taken RAT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For clarification of content, contact 
Mr. Rodney (Rick) Miller, Senior Program Analyst, Office of Government-
wide Policy, Office of Asset and Transportation Management, at 202-501-
3822, or by email at [email protected]. Please cite Notice of FTR 
Bulletin 21-02.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Background: Federal agencies authorize relocation entitlements to 
those individuals listed at FTR Sec.  302-1.1. Such individuals must 
sign a service agreement stating that the individual agrees to serve 
for a minimum time period after they have relocated, and as prescribed 
in FTR Sec.  302-2.14. Before successfully completing the initial tour 
of duty, an agency may offer RAT for an employee to serve a new tour of 
duty at the same or different OCONUS location, if the employee agrees 
to the conditions under FTR Sec.  302-3.212.
    As a result of COVID-19, employees and their immediate family 
members may be, or may have been, required to delay taking RAT despite 
the employee's successful completion of their initial tour of duty and 
commitment to a second overseas tour of duty. As a result of the delay, 
employees might not have 12 months remaining in their second tour of 
duty upon their return from RAT as prescribed at FTR Sec. Sec.  302-
2.14(d) and 302-3.505(d)). Accordingly, agencies may waive FTR 
Sec. Sec.  302-2.14(d) and 302-3.505(d), meaning that RAT travelers are 
not required to have 12 months of service remaining on their second 
overseas tour of duty after taking RAT, in order to be eligible for 
RAT. The requirements at FTR Sec. Sec.  302-3.223 and 302-3.224 remain 
in effect. This bulletin can be viewed at https://www.gsa.gov/ftrbulletins.

Jessica Salmoiraghi,
Associate Administrator, Office of Government-wide Policy.
[FR Doc. 2020-20683 Filed 9-18-20; 8:45 am]
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