14 FAM 630
DOMESTIC TRANSFERS
(CT:LOG-268; 06-05-2019)
(Office of Origin: A/LM)
14 FAM 631 SCOPE, APPLICABILITY AND
ELIGIBILITY
14 FAM 631.1 Scope
(CT:LOG-255; 10-03-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture - Foreign Service)
a. This section pertains to Foreign Service personnel
who are transferred from a domestic duty station to another domestic duty
station in a different city that is at least 50 miles away from the previous
domestic duty station. In addition, 14 FAM 632.2
pertains to Foreign Service personnel who are transferred from a domestic duty
station to a location abroad and who, after completing one or more assignments
abroad, are assigned from a location abroad to another domestic duty station in
a different city that is at least 50 miles away from the previous domestic duty
station.
b. These allowances permit reimbursement of certain
travel and transportation expenses incident to domestic relocation of Foreign
Service personnel for which other employees of the U.S. Government receive
reimbursement under 5 U.S.C. 5724(a).
14 FAM 631.2 Applicability
(CT:LOG-255; 10-03-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture - Foreign Service)
a. These regulations apply to all U.S. citizen Foreign
Service personnel of the Department of State, USAGM, USAID, Commerce, and
Agriculture, including those employees transferring to public agencies and
institutions and private nonprofit organizations. New appointees in any of the
aforementioned agencies are excluded from coverage under these regulations when
transferring within the United States on their initial assignment (see Federal
Travel Regulations (FTR), 41 CFR 302-1.2).
b. The interpretation of these regulations is the
responsibility of the Transportation and Travel Management Division (A/LM/OPS/TTM).
14 FAM 631.3 Eligibility Criteria
(CT:LOG-255; 10-03-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture - Foreign Service)
a. The Director General of the Foreign Service and
Director of Human Resources (DGHR) has oversight and management responsibility
for the implementation of the Departments bonus and allowance plans (see 3 FAM 3183).
b. Before any obligation of U.S. Government funds is
incurred under these regulations, employees must have executed a 1-year service
agreement in accordance with 41 CFR 302-2.13 of
the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) and Form DS-3045, Service Agreement for a
Relocation Bonus.
c. Notwithstanding the provisions of the continued
service agreement, appropriate management officials of the foreign affairs
agencies may waive in whole or in part of any right of recovery in accordance
with 5 U.S.C. 5724(j) for reasons beyond the control of the employee that are
acceptable to the agency concerned. For Foreign Service personnel of the
Department of State, the decision whether to waive continued service is made by
DGHR.
14 FAM 632 Authorized Relocation
Expenses and Allowances
14 FAM 632.1 Various Expenses and
Allowances
(CT:LOG-268; 06-05-2019)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture - Foreign Service)
a. Travel expenses for employee and
family: The methods for computation for per diem, mileage, and/or
common-carrier costs are found in the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), 41 CFR
302-4.
b. House-hunting trip: See the
FTR, 41 CFR 302-5.
c. Temporary quarters allowance:
The items covered and the method for computing this allowance are found in the
FTR, 41 CFR 302-6.
d. Transportation of mobile home:
See the FTR, 41 CFR 302-10.
e. Miscellaneous expense allowance:
The type of costs covered and method for computing this allowance are found in
the FTR, 41 CFR 302-16.
f. Travelers are
reminded that no expenses should be incurred prior to the receipt of an
official travel authorization (TMFOUR) that specifically authorizes the
expenditure and/or entitlement. Any expense incurred prior to the issuance of
a TMFOUR will be considered unauthorized and not reimbursable.
14 FAM 632.2 Residence Transaction
Allowances
(CT:LOG-268; 06-05-2019)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture - Foreign Service)
a. This section pertains to Foreign Service personnel
who are transferred from a domestic duty station to a location abroad and who,
after completing one or more assignments abroad, are assigned from a location
abroad to a domestic duty station that is at least 50 miles away from the
previous domestic duty station. The provisions of the Federal Travel
Regulation (FTR), 41 CFR 302-11, pertaining to items covered, amounts allowed,
title requirements and procedures, apply to this section, except that allowable
expenses for the sale and/or purchase of a residence may be claimed only if the
employee meets the following five criteria:
(1) Owned a residence at the former domestic duty
station;
(2) Occupied such residence when assigned to the
former domestic duty station;
(3) Commuted to and from work on a daily basis from
such residence;
(4) Retained ownership of such residence while
assigned abroad until receipt of a permanent change-of-station TMFOUR for travel to the new domestic duty
station; and
(5) Signed a continued-service agreement prior to
authorization of this allowance.
b. Sale of a residence at the former domestic duty
station is not required in order to claim allowable expenses for the purchase
of a residence at the new domestic duty station.
c. For Commerce and USAGM only:
The definition of a domestic duty station for the purposes of the residence
transaction allowance does not include assignments to long-term training.
14 FAM
632.3 Lease Penalty Expense Allowance
(CT:LOG-268; 06-05-2019)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture - Foreign Service)
a. This section pertains
to Foreign Service personnel who are transferred from a domestic duty station
to another domestic duty station in a different city at least 50 miles away
from the previous domestic duty station. The purpose of this allowance is to
help offset the expense of a residence quarters lease penalty unavoidably incurred
by an employee. (See Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), 41 CFR 302-11). The
amount of reimbursement shall not exceed the amount required by the specific
terms of a rental contract signed by the employee as a prior condition of
obtaining the lease, or the equivalent of three months' rent, whichever is
less. The amounts as indicated above may be reimbursed only after an
appropriate authorizing official of the employing agency certifies in writing
that:
(1) The employee's
transfer was due solely to actions by the employing agency and/or to unusual
conditions fully beyond the control of the employee; and
(2) The termination of
the lease and departure of the employee did not result from any specific
actions by the employee to seek a curtailment of the assignment for transfer or
promotion; and
(3) The employee was not
negligent in promptly notifying the landlord of the intent to terminate the
lease after receiving an official notice of transfer; and
(4) All reasonable steps
were taken by the employee to dispose of the residence quarters by sublease or
assignment to others; and
(5) Both the employee
and employing agency made reasonable efforts to avoid the full lease penalty by
delaying the employee's transfer; and
(6) The employee signed
a continued-service agreement prior to authorization of this allowance.
b. The request for a
lease penalty expense allowance must be requested in the employee's TMTWO and
authorized in the TMFOUR.
14 FAM 633 Storage of household Effects
(CT:LOG-255; 10-03-2018)
(Uniform State/USAGM/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture - Foreign Service)
a. Transportation and temporary
storage: Maximum weight limitations for shipment and storage of
household effects are as authorized in 14 FAM 613.
Transportation services are to be provided by appropriate transportation
offices of the foreign affairs agencies. Temporary storage for household
effects authorized under these regulations will be for 90 days.
b. Nontemporary storage: 14 FAM 628
applies whenever non-temporary storage of household effects is required.
14 FAM 634 THROUGH 639 UNASSIGNED