Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding Recent Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) Changes

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1 V1, 10/28/2014 US Army Corps of Engineers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Regarding Recent Joint Travel Regulations (JTR) Changes Reference: a. UTD/CTD for MAP /CAP Incidental Expenses effective 1 Oct 2014 b. UTD/CTD for MAP /CAP Flat Rate Per Diem for Long Term TDY effective 1 Nov 2014 Part I. Logistics (Travel) FAQs: 1. Is flat rate per Diem paid in accordance with JTR, par optional? No. It is effective for travel that begins on or after 1 November 2014, flat rate per diem is mandatory, even if travel orders erroneously authorize lodging plus M&IE at the locality rate. The only exceptions are when the traveler and Commercial Travel Office are unable to find suitable lodging at the flat rate. Before the approving official can authorize lodging plus M&IE at the locality rate, the approving official must certify that lodging was not available at the flat rate. 2. Does this policy apply to already approved authorizations for more than 30 days TDY that start after 1 November? Yes. The policy is effective for all travel beginning or amendments issued after 1 November Those authorizations with more than 30 days TDY and the travel starts on or after 1 November 2014 will need to be amended to include the flat rate per diem. 3. What is the policy for personnel already on orders lasting more than 30 days? Are they grandfathered in or will their per diem change as of 1 November for the remaining portion of their TDY? The policy is effective for all travel beginning or amendments issued after 1 November This means that the flat rate per diem does not apply to personnel already on orders unless an amendment is issued after 1 November to extend the total number of days TDY. In this case, only the full days after the orders were amended would be subject to the flat rate per diem. Example: Initial TDY begins prior to 1 November and is more than 30 days (because travel begins before 1 November, the traveler is receiving full locality per diem rate). Travel is scheduled for 29 October to 30 November 1

2 and the traveler receives lodging plus M&IE at the locality rate. The orders are then amended on 15 November to extend the trip more than 30 days. The flat per diem rate applies, but only from 16 November (the day after the amendment is issued) to 31 December (the revised end date for the TDY). 4. JTR Long Term Travel: Does the 30+ day TDY to a single location include all trips to that location (cumulative) or is it calculated trip-to-trip? For example, if an employee spends 2 weeks at a time in Cincinnati one time per month, would the third trip to Cincinnati then start the 75% reduced per diem rate? Or since there are breaks in travel, would the 30+day calculator reset at the beginning of each trip? Long-term TDY flat-rate per diem applies to TDY at the specified location, much like the 180 day policy. The days accumulate if you are going to the same TDY location there is no "reset" (less than 7 months). Per JTR C B.3. "180 Day Rule Violation, issuing a TDY order for 179 consecutive days, followed by a brief return to the PDS, followed by another TDY order for return to the same location is a violation of the 180-consecutive-day policy. Likewise if there is a reasonable expectation that the TDY will last 31+ days, even with a "break" to return to the PDS, the reduced/flat rate would apply. 5. This question goes in line with the question above, but if an employee is on TDY for a project that s expected to last 55 days for example, and we have to break the orders to send the employee to their PDS mid-way through the TDY so they can complete other work at the PDS, would the 31-day timeframe reset when the orders are broken if the employee returned to the TDY site at a later date? See above answer to question How will travelers arrange lodging at the reduced Per Diem rate? Per JTR C2400, It is mandatory policy that all DoD civilian employees/uniformed Service members use an available Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO), contracted Commercial Travel Office (CTO)or a GSA contracted Travel Management Center (TMC) (when a DTMO contracted CTO is not available) for all official transportation requirements, except when authorized IAW par The contracted CTO for USACE is Carlson-Wagonlit Travel/SATO Travel. For reservation assistance they can be contacted at or Additionally GSA can provide assistance with long term lodging through the following: Other resources include the Lodging Success Program: 7. What if I can't find lodging at the reduced per diem rate? The JTR states that if a traveler is unable to find suitable commercial lodging at the reduced per diem rate, they should contact their Commercial Travel Office (CTO) for assistance. If both the traveler and the CTO determine that lodging is not available at the reduced per diem rate, the Authorizing Official may then authorize actual lodging (not to exceed the locality per diem rate). The traveler will then receive M&IE at the reduced rate (75% for TDY of days and 55% for TDY of 181+ days). 2

3 8. If travel is initially expected to last more than 30 days but the job is finished early and it takes less than 30 days, as long as the orders are ended prior to the 30th day, would the employee s M&IE then be recalculated at the full 100% rate or would the employee still only receive 75% for M&IE for that trip? No. The employees M&IE will not be recalculated at the full 100% as the orders were for 31 days or more. 9. If travel is initially expected to last less than 30 days but the job is extended to take the TDY over 30 days, would the employee receive 75% for M&IE for that entire trip? No. If the original order is anticipated, and prepared as such, to be under 30 days and is subsequently extended beyond 30 days then the traveler would need to amend the orders and the flat rate per diem applies beginning the day after the amendment is issued. 10. These references do not expressly address my specific scenario. Does this mean that this change does not apply? See JTR 1005 PROHIBITION NOT STATED. There may be circumstances when travel and transportation allowances are prohibited and are so stated. However, just because a prohibition is not stated does not mean that an allowance exists or may be authorized (i.e.., the philosophy of It doesn t say I can t therefore I can. does not apply to the JTR). 11. What if I choose to disregard these changes and find creative ways to get around the system to meet my personal preferences? See JTR 1035 APPROPRIATE ACTION FOR FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE REGULATIONS. A command/unit is expected to take appropriate disciplinary action when a traveler and/or AO fail to follow these Regulations. Disciplinary action should be for willful violations and may be in the form of counseling (oral/written), non-judicial action, or other appropriate personnel means. Disciplinary action must not be through refusal to reimburse unless no authority exists or is so stated in this regulation NOTE: The ULA Transportation Division website is an excellent resource for travel/lodging information and answers to many of these questions are posted on their website. The link to the ULA Transportation Division website is or ; or contact the commercial travel office (Carlson SATO) directly at PART II: Finance Center FAQs (CEFMS/Reimbursements/amendments) 1. Will CEFMS automatically change the per diem if the travel is over 30 days and 180 days? CEFMS will be adding additional code that will require the user to select one of two new Reimbursement Methods when creating TDY Orders greater than 30 days. These methods will include FELT for Commercial Lodging and Meals or FMLT for Government Lodging and Meals. CEFMS will be able to determine whether per diem should be paid at the Flat Rate based on the required methods of reimbursement selected. All orders being amended to 3

4 increase the number of TDY days for greater than 30 will also be required to select one of these two reimbursement codes, so CEFMS can adjust to the flat rate per diem starting the day after the order is amended. 2. Are travelers required to itemize daily lodging expenses? No. When flat rate per diem is applicable, travelers are not required to itemize daily lodging expenses associated with a short-term rental (e.g., rent, electric, cable, phone), unless leave days are involved. On those days, a separate computation (See JTR, par C) is required to determine the daily cost of lodging as the traveler may not be reimbursed more than they actually spent. 3. Will the traveler be reimbursed the flat rate per diem without the receipt for lodging? When a flat rate per diem is applicable, travelers are not required to submit a lodging receipt but may be required to validate to their Approving Official that they did incur lodging costs 4. If a traveler doesn t pay for lodging, does flat rate per diem apply? The traveler must incur a lodging cost in order to be reimbursed flat rate per diem for lodging. If a traveler stays with family or friends, or in lodging owned by the traveler, he/she does not receive reimbursement for lodging and M&IE is paid at the flat per diem rate (75% or 55%, as applicable). 5. If travel is to a government installation where government quarters and meals are directed and available, does flat rate per diem apply? No. If government quarters and meals are available and directed, reimbursement for lodging is limited to the cost of government quarters and M&IE is paid at the government meal rate or proportional meal rate, as applicable. 6. If government quarters and meals are provided, does flat rate per diem apply in accordance with JTR, para. 4250? No. If government quarters and meals are provided, such as when deployed to the CENTCOM AOR, travelers are only paid the incidental expense portion of per diem (See JTR, Chapter 4, Part F). 7. If a traveler voluntarily uses government quarters, does flat rate per diem apply? No. If government quarters are used, the traveler is reimbursed the actual cost for government quarters. If the government meal rate (GMR) or proportional meal rate (PMR) is not appropriate, M&IE is paid at the flat per diem rate (75% or 55%, as applicable). CEFMS will be adding additional codes that will require the user to select FMLT for Government Lodging and Meals when creating TDY Orders greater than 30 days and government lodging is used. 8. What about incidental expenses that occurred before 1 Oct: For the Incidental Expenses that occurred prior to 1 Oct 14; the employee will be able to select the expense from the CEFMS drop-down menu. 4

5 9. What if f the employee is covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and the incidental expense occurred after 1 Oct 14 and Impact & Implementation (I&I) has not occurred? The agency wide regulation went into effect 1 Oct 14 which removes USACE s authority to pay incidental expenses (CONUS laundry, baggage tips for uniformed members and ATM fees). Even if the employee claims the Incidental Expense(s) as Miscellaneous Reimbursable Expense with an explanation in the Remarks and an itemization of each expense claimed, the settlement voucher will be reduced by the amount of unauthorized expenses. PART III: Human Resources (Labor, Management and Employee Relations) FAQs: How are we supposed to handle those claims submitted by bargaining unit employees until all labor union obligations are fulfilled? Claims submitted will be processed in accordance with reference a. and b. of this document. The JTR pertains to all employees. CEHR has notified the national unions and directed HR forward to immediately notify the local unions to allow them to provide Impact & Implementation (I&I) for bargaining union employees. I&I requires management to inform union personnel of the change so that bargaining unit employees understand the impact of this change; it does not permit delaying, negotiating or bargaining implementation of the change. 5