3 FAM 3740
EMERGENCY VISITATION TRAVEL (evt)
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Office of Origin: HR/ER/WLD)
3 FAM 3741 AUTHORITY
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
The authority for this policy includes Sections 901 and
904 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4081 and 4084).
3 FAM 3742 PURPOSE
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
Emergency visitation travel (EVT) is a benefit that allows
an eligible individual to be authorized travel at U.S. Government expense from
the post of assignment to the United States or to other locations in certain
situations of family emergency. The purpose of this subchapter is to set forth
Department policy on this benefit.
3 FAM 3743 ELIGIBILITY
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. All Foreign Service employees stationed abroad,
including Civil Service employees on limited noncareer appointments (LNAs), and
certain eligible family members if residing at the employees post of
assignment, are eligible for emergency visitation travel (EVT). EVT is not
authorized for travel within the country of assignment abroad. All EVT
requests are required to be authorized on a case-by-case basis, pursuant to the
procedures in this section and in 3 FAH-1 H-3740.
b. Employees assigned abroad who are away from post of
assignment on TDY are eligible for EVT regardless of TDY location. Employees
who are on other official travel (R&R or home leave) or on personal leave
are eligible for cost-constructed EVT (see 3 FAM 3749.1)
as long as the employee's EVT point of departure is not in the same country as
the ill or deceased family member.
c. Employees temporarily assigned to Washington, DC
for long-term training are not eligible for EVT.
d. Employees abroad who are away from post of
assignment should make every effort to consult with the EVT authorizing office
and post management officer before initiating EVT travel. This consultation is
essential in determining the most appropriate course for continuation of
travel, and will minimize employee liability for fare change penalties, etc.
e. A resident-locally-engaged employee is not eligible
for EVT unless the employee is a spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) of
an eligible employee.
f. Only employees on official duty at State Department-designated
unaccompanied posts are eligible for unaccompanied post EVT.
3 FAM 3744 GENERAL PROVISIONS
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. There are 5 categories of EVT; each may be
authorized under the following circumstances:
(1) Medical: A member of the employees or the
employees spouses or domestic partners (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
immediate family is seriously ill or injured and death is imminent; i.e.,
expected within days. The Office of Medical Services (MED) makes this
determination after consultation with the family members physician. Post
approves and funds medical EVT upon recommendation from MED;
(2) Death: A member of the employees or the
employees spouses or domestic partners (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
immediate family has died; or the employee or an eligible family member
resident at the post of assignment dies, and eligible family members will
accompany the remains or travel to the place of interment in the United States
or abroad. Post approves and funds death EVT;
(3) Eldercare (formerly incapacitated parent): A
parent of the employee or the employees spouse or domestic partner (as defined
in 3 FAM 1610)
becomes temporarily or permanently incapacitated but is expected to survive;
travel is necessary to assess the parents need for new living arrangements or
other form of care. HR/ER (State) approves and funds eldercare EVT;
(4) Unusual personal hardship: An employee or
employees spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
requires emergency family visitation in certain exceptional circumstances
involving unusual personal hardship other than those provided in 3 FAM 3744,
subparagraphs a(1) through a(3). HR/ER (State) approves and post funds unusual
personal hardship EVT; and
(5) Unaccompanied post: An employee on official duty
at an unaccompanied post is seriously wounded or becomes critically ill, is
subsequently medevaced to another medical facility, and a family members and/or
agents presence is determined to be medically required during the emergency
period. States Office of Casualty Assistance (OCA) approves and States
regional bureaus fund unaccompanied post EVT.
b. Authorizing and reporting offices: For all
agencies, see 3 FAH-1
Exhibit H-3741(2).
c. Funding authority: For all agencies, see 3 FAM 3749.2.
d. Number of travelers permitted: Ordinarily, only one
member of a family (the person directly related to the ill, dying, or deceased
individual) may travel at U.S. Government expense. Exceptions:
(1) If an employee or eligible family member resident
at post dies, the remaining eligible family members resident at post may travel
to the funeral or accompany the deceased to the place of interment in the
United States or abroad;
(2) A nursing child may accompany the mother, or
pre-school children may accompany a single parent;
(3) In EVT cases involving children who require
exceptional medical attention and where both parents reside at post, both
parents may be authorized to travel under the EVT authority. The limitations
prescribed for that particular EVT apply to each traveler;
(4) For unaccompanied post EVT, the number of
travelers may not exceed three unless the number of dependent children, as
defined in 14
FAM 511.3, plus the spouse or domestic partner exceeds this limitation.
The Department of States Office of Casualty Assistance will make a decision
for additional travelers on a case-by-case basis.
e. Relationship of EVT travelers: EVT benefits are not
transferable. Only the employee or the spouse or the domestic partner (as
defined in 3 FAM
1610) directly related to the seriously ill, injured, or deceased family
member may be authorized EVT. Exceptions:
(1) In exceptional circumstances such as the critical
illness or injury of the traveler who otherwise would be authorized for EVT,
the chief of mission or head of the Agriculture, USAGM,
Commerce, or USAID establishment abroad may authorize the employee, spouse, or
domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) to
travel in place of such traveler;
(2) For eldercare EVT, the employee may designate the
spouse or domestic partner to travel in his or her place, and vice versa;
(3) For unaccompanied post EVT: If an immediate
family member is not a suitable designee or if the employee has no immediate
family, the employee may:
(a) Designate other member(s) of the employees extended
family or the employees spouses or domestic partners family, subject to OCA
approval; or
(b) Designate an agent (see definition in 3 FAM 3745)
authorized to travel in support of a medevaced employee.
3 FAM 3745 DEFINITIONS
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
Agent: For purposes of
unaccompanied post EVT, an agent authorized to travel in support of a medevaced
employee ordinarily will be an individual other than a family member, who holds
a medical power-of-attorney for the employee. On a case-by-case basis, States
Office of Casualty Assistance (OCA) may authorize the travel of another
appropriate individual who does not hold a medical power-of-attorney to serve
as an employees agent.
Eligible family members: See
definition in 14
FAM 511.3.
Family member: For purposes of
unaccompanied post EVT only, the term includes eligible family members as
defined in 14
FAM 511.3 and may include other immediate family (parents/guardians or
siblings, including stepparents or stepsiblings, and nondependent children),
regardless of whether such individuals are designated on the employees
assignment travel orders.
Immediate family member: For
EVT purposes, this term applies to the spouse or domestic partner (as defined
in 3 FAM 1610)
and children, including stepchildren, adopted children, and those who are or
were under legal guardianship; and parents of the employee or the employees
spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610).
In the case of death EVT, the term immediate family members also applies to
siblings, including stepbrothers, stepsisters, half-brothers and half-sisters
of the employee, or the employees spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610).
Incapacitation: A physical,
mental, emotional or post-surgical condition whether temporary or permanent,
that is severely impairing a parents ability to continue with current living
arrangements.
Medical power of attorney: A
legal document signed by a competent adult, i.e., "principal,"
designating a person whom the principal trusts to make health-care decisions on
the principal's behalf should the principal be unable to make such decisions.
Parent: The mother, father,
stepparent or legally adoptive parent of the employee or of the spouse, or
domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) or
individuals who have stood in place of a parent for the employee or spouse or
domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
during a significant portion of the individuals childhood prior to age 18. An
employee or spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
cannot be deemed to have more than two parents under any circumstances; i.e.,
if the employee or employees spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) has
identified two birth parents as parents and traveled on medical, eldercare,
or unusual personal hardship EVT to assist them, he or she cannot request EVT
for a third parental individual, for example death EVT, upon the death of a
stepparent.
Post: The administrative
officer (AO), human resource officer (HRO), or delegate who carries out post
human resource responsibilities including EVT.
Unaccompanied post: The Under
Secretary for Management is responsible for designating as an unaccompanied
post, those imminent danger areas at which family members are not authorized to
reside, and from which family visitation travel may be authorized. Designations
may change from time to time to reflect changing circumstances (see 3 FAM 3735.1).
3 FAM 3746 CATEGORIES OF AUTHORIZED
EVT TRAVEL
3 FAM 3746.1 Medical Emergency
Visitation Travel
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Medical EVT is reserved for those emergency
situations in which a member of the employee or employees spouses or domestic
partners (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
immediate family is seriously ill or injured and where death is imminent, i.e.,
expected within days.
b. Employees and their spouses or domestic partners (as
defined in 3 FAM
1610) are limited to one round trip for each serious illness, medical
condition, or injury of each immediate family member. However, if the traveler
returns to post from a medical EVT visit and the ill or injured immediate
family member subsequently dies, death EVT may be requested and authorized in
accordance with the provisions of 3 FAM 3744,
subparagraph a(2).
c. The traveler may be eligible for a subsequent
medical EVT if the immediate family member survives the emergency and faces
imminent death due to another, unrelated medical emergency.
3 FAM 3746.2 Death Emergency
Visitation Travel
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Death EVT may be authorized when a member of the
employees or the employees spouses or domestic partners (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
immediate family has died or when the employee or an eligible family member
residing at the post of assignment has died.
b. An employee or spouse or domestic partner (as
defined in 3 FAM
1610) may be authorized one round trip from post in case of death of his or
her immediate family member including siblings.
c. Only the individual related to the deceased may be
authorized death emergency visitation travel (EVT). However, in case of death
of an employee or eligible family member stationed abroad (whether death occurs
at post of assignment or elsewhere), one round trip to the place of interment
is allowable for the remaining eligible family members resident at post.
Travel to a country other than the United States is cost-constructed (3 FAM 3749.1).
d. In keeping with the emergency nature of this
benefit, travel should commence as soon as practical, upon notice that the
immediate family member has died.
3 FAM 3746.3 Eldercare Emergency
Visitation Travel
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Eldercare emergency visitation travel (EVT):
Reserved for those situations in which an employee or spouse or domestic
partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
needs to assist a parent who has recently become temporarily or permanently
incapacitated, and may not be able to continue living independently. Examples
of circumstances in which eldercare EVT may be approved include, but are not
limited to, the following:
(1) The physical, emotional or mental condition of a
parent has deteriorated to the extent that he or she may no longer be able to
continue living independently;
(2) A parent may not be able to continue living
independently either temporarily or permanently as a result of recent surgery,
injury, or accident; and
(3) A parent must leave his or her living facility
because he or she urgently requires medical or other care that is not available
at that facility.
b. Eldercare EVT limitations: Eldercare EVT may not
exceed two round trips for the employee and two round trips for the spouse or
domestic partner (as defined in (3 FAM 1610)
during the career abroad of the eligible employee. The employee or spouse or
domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) may
choose to use both eldercare EVTs in connection with the needs of only one
parent. For eldercare EVT only, an employee may designate the spouse or
domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610) to
travel in his or her place or vice versa.
c. Death of parent being visited: If the parent dies
after the employee or spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
commences eldercare EVT but before the traveler returns to post, the eldercare
EVT status remains unchanged. If the parent dies prior to the employee or
spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
commencing eldercare travel, the eldercare EVT request must be revised to death
EVT. In this situation, post would approve and fund the death EVT pursuant to 3 FAM 3746.2.
3 FAM 3746.4 Unusual Personal
Hardship Emergency Visitation Travel
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
Unusual personal hardship emergency visitation travel
(EVT) is reserved for situations involving exceptional circumstances other than
those provided for in 3 FAM 3744,
subparagraphs a(1) through a(3). Requests are evaluated on a case-by-case
basis.
3 FAM 3746.5 Unaccompanied Post
Emergency Visitation Travel
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Unaccompanied post EVT: Reserved for emergency
situations in which an employee is seriously wounded or becomes critically ill
at an unaccompanied post, and in which the employee is subsequently medevaced
to another medical facility and where a family members and/or agents presence
is determined to be medically required during the emergency period:
(1) The Foreign Service medical provider (FSMP) is
responsible for making this determination;
(2) Post human resource officer (HRO) is responsible
for requesting unaccompanied post EVT via emergency phone call to States
Office of Casualty Assistance. See 3 FAH-1
Exhibit H-3741(2) for other foreign
affairs agencies emergency offices; and
(3) States Office of Casualty Assistance authorizes
the unaccompanied post EVT request; contacts the family member(s) and/or agent;
and arranges for transportation and per diem at U.S. Government expense from
their home or current location to the bedside of the employee. See 3 FAH-1
Exhibit H-3741(2) for other agencies EVT authorizing and reporting offices.
b. Criteria for authorization of unaccompanied post
EVT: Emergencies of this nature are major medical cases with serious
implications. The injury or illness must either be seriously life threatening
or have a high probability of resulting in a permanent life-changing
condition. Subsequent treatment may potentially involve additional risk. A
designated agent may serve as surrogate to an employee who has become medically
incompetent; however, the FSMP may determine the presence of an agent to be medically
required irrespective of whether an employee has become medically incompetent.
The family member or agent may provide support to an employee whose condition
has a choice of treatments, each with its own set of considerations or risks.
The FSMP determines those medical and hardship emergencies in which the agent
or family members presence is necessary at the bedside of the injured or ill
employee for assistance as described, as well as for providing personal comfort
and support.
c. Designation of agent, family member(s): The
employee is responsible for designating emergency family members and/or agents
prior to deployment. Contact information for designated emergency family
members and/or agents will be placed on file in Department of States Employee
Services Center (ESC) database. At the time of an emergency, the Operation
Center will provide this information to States Office of Casualty Assistance
(OCA). If, at the time of medevac emergency, the employee asks that a family
member or agent other than previously designated be authorized to travel, the
request will be conveyed by the HRO in the initial emergency phone call to OCA.
d. Limitations on the number of travelers: The number
of travelers may not exceed three unless the number of dependent children, as
defined in 14
FAM 511.3, plus the spouse or domestic partner (as defined in 3 FAM 1610)
exceeds this limitation. States OCA will make a decision for additional
travelers on a case-by-case basis. See 3 FAH-1
Exhibit H-3741(2) for other agencies EVT authorizing and reporting
offices.
3 FAM 3747 CHARGE TO LEAVE
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Employees are granted transit time while in travel
status during EVT, i.e., they are not charged leave while traveling to and from
the destination of emergency visitation travel. Travel status will be
calculated up to a maximum amount of time, which equates to the most direct and
usually traveled route from post of assignment to the place of emergency. The
return trip to post is treated the same.
b. Time away from post (other than while in travel
status) for emergency visitation is charged to annual leave, sick leave,
compensatory time, or leave without pay, as appropriate. For information on
using sick leave to care for an immediate family member or the maximum amount
of sick leave that may be used, etc., see 3 FAH-1 H-3424.
For information on invoking the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), see 3 FAM 3530.
3 FAM 3748 Effect of Emergency
Visitation Travel on Home Leave, Family Visitation Travel, and Post
Differential
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Time spent in the United States delays date of home
leave eligibility only if the employee has not already accumulated 18 months of
continuous service abroad by the time EVT is initiated (see 3 FAM 3430 and 3 FAH-1 H-3430).
b. If an employee is eligible for family visitation
travel, there must be a waiting period of at least 3 months following the
employees return to post from emergency visitation travel before the employee
may depart on family visitation travel to the same location. Exceptions to the
waiting requirements may be made for valid reasons by principal officers and
heads of Agriculture, USAGM, Commerce and
USAID establishments abroad or their designees if post workload and scheduling
considerations permit.
c. Post differential that was terminated during a
period of absence from post, is re-instituted as of the date of return to the
differential post (see Department of State Standardized Regulations [DSSR]
531.2).
3 FAM 3749 TRAVEL LIMITATIONS AND
FUNDING
3 FAM 3749.1 Travel Limitations
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Direct travel: EVT must comply with applicable
requirements in 14
FAM 580 and will be by the most direct, usually traveled and inexpensive
route available at the time of EVT request.
b. Indirect travel: May be authorized only when
official duties are to be performed en route, or when advantageous to the U.S.
Government.
c. Currencies: Excess and near-excess foreign
currencies are to be used to the maximum extent feasible.
d. Cost-constructed EVT outside the United States: In
the event the seriously ill, injured, or deceased family member or
incapacitated parent is located outside the United States, or the remains of an
immediate family member who has died abroad are to be accompanied to a place
outside the United States, travel costs are constructed, i.e., the cost of
the travel by the employee or employees spouse or domestic partner (as defined
in 3 FAM 1610)
may not exceed the transportation expenses that would have been incurred for
travel between the post and the employees service separation residence address
(see 14 FAM
536.2-4). Exceptions:
(1) Employees are not required to cost-construct
travel costs if the employee is on TDY regardless of TDY location. However, if
the EVT destination is outside the United States, EVT will be cost-constructed
as stated in paragraph d of this section; and
(2) Employees are not required to cost-construct if
the location of the person being visited is abroad due to the employees
assignment abroad; for example, if the employee is on long-term TDY to an
unaccompanied or partially unaccompanied post (see 3 FAM 3735.1)
and an eligible family member experiences an emergency at the post of
assignment.
e. Reimbursement: Reimbursement may not exceed allowable
transportation expenses actually incurred.
f. Class of travel service: First-class and
business-class commercial air service travels are not authorized for EVT from
post to destination regardless of trip length unless the Medical Director
approves a specific exception. When air service is not available, minimum
available first-class rail or bus services may be used. Special fares such as
excursion fares and round-trip fares are to be used to the maximum extent
possible.
g. Carriers: U.S.-flag carriers are to be used under
the conditions described in 14 FAM 580;
exceptions may be authorized, as appropriate, under 14 FAM 582. For
USAID employees, see Automated Directives System (ADS) 523.
h. The following EVT expenses are authorized:
(1) Round-trip airfare;
(2) Mandatory airport taxes;
(3) Connecting transportation between airports; and
(4) Per 14 FAM 568.1,
two pieces of checked luggage which weigh up to 50 lbs (23 kg) each.
i. Unauthorized expenses: Excess baggage or
unaccompanied baggage charges are not authorized. Except for unaccompanied
post EVT, other expenses such as local transportation to and from the airport
and per diem are not authorized.
3 FAM 3749.2 Funding
(CT:PER-925; 09-24-2018)
(Uniform State/USDA/USAGM/Commerce/USAID)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Transportation costs for employees of the Department
of State are funded as follows:
(1) Medical EVT, death EVT, and unusual personal
hardship EVT are paid from post funds;
(2) Eldercare EVT is centrally funded; and
(3) Unaccompanied post EVT is funded by the regional
bureaus.
b. Other agencies: Transportation costs for employees
of the Department of Agriculture, USAGM,
and USAID are paid by the employees agency from post funds. Costs for
employees of the Department of Commerce are paid centrally.