Extended TDY Travel

Talley Smith

05/15/2007

Extended TDY Travel• Travel Policy Update • Pre-Travel Assistance

• Travel Extending Over one Year

• Other Issues

• Questions

Travel Policy Update

Interim Travel Policy Changes and Modifications Effective 10/01/2006

NASA HQ DCFO 11/20/2006

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY Non-Contract Fare

• Must meet one of the exceptions listed in 301- 10.107 and show approval on TA.

• If the fare is non-refundable, restricted, or has specific eligibility requirements, traveler must know or anticipate that the ticket will be used.

• Center DCFO or their designee must determine the proposed fare is practical and cost effective.

• Carrier preference is not a valid reason for use.

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY Trip Home

• NASA requires traveler to return to PDS for Official Business – Actual transportation paid. • Authorized trips home every 3 weeks, NTE 17 trips per year or prorated equivalent – Actual transportation paid.

• Voluntary unauthorized trip home – Actual transportation expenses NTE subsistence expenses had traveler remained at extended TDY location.

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY Leave

• Limited to fixed lodging costs while on leave, not to exceed the reduced locality rate for lodging. • NASA will not pay an allowance for subsistence expenses for any paid or non-paid non-work status during working hours unless emergency travel is involved due to incapacitating illness or injury.

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY More Than 180 Days

• NASA requires an analysis of allowances to determine whether it is more advantageous to the Agency to continue the assignment as an Extended TDY, Temporary Change of Station or Permanent Change of Station by the DCFO (Finance).

Travel Policy UpdateTDY Assignment Extended over 30 Days

• If the extension is for less than 30 additional days, the traveler may continue to be reimbursed under the lodging plus system.

• If the extension is 30 days or more, the traveler will be reimbursed at the rate prescribed for the extended TDY assignment. Effective on the date the authorizing official makes the determination that an extension is required.

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY Allowances

• NASA will authorize the traveler a per diem rate that provides:

- An efficiency or one bedroom furnished apartment, or if not available- An unfurnished efficiency or one bedroom apartment plus the rental of appropriate and necessary furniture.- Cost of connection, use and disconnection of utilities.

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY Allowances (Cont.)

- Monthly telephone use fee (does not include installation and long distance calls). - Basic cable TV service. - Cost of reasonable maid service and cleaning charges - Cost of prepared meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner (NTE subsistence rate). - Expenses and per diem for family members not allowed. - Cell phones expenses not allowed

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY Unaccompanied Baggage

• Unaccompanied baggage may be shipped if:- It is justified in connection with your

extended TDY assignment.- Authorized in TA.- Unaccompanied baggage being

transported is 350 pounds or less.• The baggage will be transported in a manner

that is most cost-effective to the Agency.• Trailer rental requires cost comparison

showing it is more advantageous to Gov’t.

Travel Policy UpdateExtended TDY Travel Advance

• NASA travelers can only receive travel advances through the Government-issued travel card ATM advances. Exceptions are limited to the following:

- Travelers without a Government-issued travel card (ineligible for a card).- Foreign travelers going to locations in which access to ATM’s are limited.

Pre-Travel Assistance Extended TDY Questionnaire

• Accessed through NSSC Customer Service Website https://www.nssc.nasa.gov/portal/site/customerservice

• Traveler provides basic information about extended TDY including location, dates, purpose, etc.

• Submitted online

• Used by NSSC to schedule SLAM training and one-on-one assistance

Pre-Travel AssistanceExtended TDY SLAM

• Simulated Learning Action Module 

• Accessed through NSSC Customer Service Website https://www.nssc.nasa.gov/portal/site/customerservice • Designed to give employees a working knowledge of travel regulations as they pertain to extended TDY

Pre-Travel AssistanceOne-on-One Assistance

• Scheduled by NSSC travel technician

• Used to answer specific questions about extended TDY

• Once pre-travel assistance is complete the traveler / preparer should then complete travel authorization in Travel Manager

Travel Extending Over one YearIRS

• If the extended TDY is realistically expected to last for more than one year, whether or not it actually lasts for more than one year the IRS considers this to be an indefinite assignment. A series of assignments to the same location, all for short periods but that together cover a long period, may be considered an indefinite assignment. Travelers are required to include in their income any travel reimbursements they receive when the extended TDY becomes an indefinite assignment. (IRS Publication 463)

Travel Extending Over one Year7-Month Break

• NSSC will use a continuous break of seven months as the determining factor on whether temporary travel to the same location is taxable.

• “…It is reasonable to treat a break of at least seven months as significant, thereby treating two work segments separated by a seven-month break as separate periods of employment for applying the one-year limitation.” (IRS Memorandum 200026025, 06/30/2000)

Other IssuesForeign Extended TDY

• Per Diem for foreign extended TDY will be paid at the current locality rate for the extended TDY location.

•Lodging reimbursement be will limited to the actual lodging expense incurred not to exceed the lodging portion of the locality rate for the extended TDY location.

Other IssuesVoucher Against an Advance

• If an EFT Cash Advance is issued, travelers MUST voucher against the line of funding from which the Travel Advance was issued.  If there are multiple lines of funding involved, the voucher amount allocated against the "advanced" line of funding must be equivalent to the monthly reduced amount.  For example, a traveler is issued an advance of $1200 for a 7 month EXTTDY assignment.  Each month, the voucher will be reduced by $200 to liquidate the advance (excluding the first month).   (FMR 301-71.305)

Other IssuesExtended TDY Funding

• If taxes will be incurred funding must be amended so that there is sufficient obligation to pay the voucher plus taxes.

• NSSC cannot amend an extended TDY funding document.

• Insure funds obligated do not expire prior to end of extended TDY.

Other IssuesProposed Advanced Rent Payment

• Competency center is testing a possible solution for prepaying rent before the end of the month. This is a problem for some extended TDY travelers due to cash flow problems and the expenses involved in maintaining two households. The solution if approved would allow the traveler to voucher for their rent only for payment, before the end of the month, for next months rent.

Questions?