federal employee travel benefits

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Travel Guide Table of Contents

Updated travel guidance for gsa employees (07/13/2021).

On July 13, 2021, GSA published updated travel guidance for all employees.

• First Time Travel Guide
• 1 - Get access to Concur
• 2 - Get a GSA Travel Card
• 3 - Update your Concur Profile
• Individual travel email template
• Group travel email template
• What if I am traveling for multiple projects?
• What if I am attending a training, conference, speaking event, or other "IRL" or large team gathering?
• What if I am extending travel for personal reasons?
• What if I am returning to traveling from a location other than home?
• International travel
• Estimating expenses
• Book your flight or rail
• Book lodging
• Can I book lodging outside of Concur
• Booking a rental car
• Completing trip information
• Justify any rental car use or personal vehicle mileage claims
• , external, TTS-only, TTS Travel approval checklist
• Stamping and Submitting for Travel Team Approval
• , external, TTS-only, Unofficial TTS guide to Concur FAILS
• How do I use the GSA travel card?
• Which receipts do I need to keep?
• Meals and Incidental Expenses
• Voucher from authorization (all non-local travel)
• Local and miscellaneous vouchers
• Enter Expenses
• Meals paid on the travel card
• Extra days at personal expense
• Flights or Amtrak booked outside of Concur
• Local transportation
• Issues with reimbursement
• Amending vouchers
• Appendix A: Amended authorizations
• Appendix B: After hours and emergency travel procedures
• Travel Guide FAQ

GSA resources

• Federal Travel Regulation
• TTS-only, GSA travel policy
• GSA City Pairs Program FAQ
• TTS-only, GSA travel card policy
• GSA local travel policy
• TTS-only, GSA travel advances policy
• GSA conference and event policy
• , external, GSA official guide to Concur
• Business Applications Service Desk (Concur Helpdesk): (866) 450-6588, press 2 or [email protected]
• , external, TTS-only, #travel
• , external, [email protected]
• , external, Book office hours

Handbook.tts.gsa.gov

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Note: On April 12, 2024, President Biden revoked the 2021 executive order that had established the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force. As a result, the Safer Federal Workforce Task Force no longer exists and this website will no longer be updated. This website is preserved as it existed on April 12, 2024, for archival purposes only.

Official Travel

Federal employees should adhere strictly to CDC guidance for domestic and international travel before, during, and after official travel.

Q: Are there any restrictions on official travel approved by Federal agencies?

A: No. There are no Government-wide limits on official travel (i.e., travel conducted under an official travel authorization) for Federal employees, regardless of their vaccination status. Individuals should follow their agency’s travel policy.

In approving official travel for an individual, agencies should:

• Inform the traveling individual that CDC recommends that individuals make sure they are up to date with COVID-19 vaccines before travel;
• Recommend that the traveling individual consider being tested for current infection with a viral test as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days) before travel;
• Instruct the traveling individual to adhere strictly to CDC guidance for domestic and international travel before, during, and after official travel;
• Instruct the traveling individual to check their destination’s COVID-19 Community Level before traveling, and to wear a high-quality mask or respirator (such as an N95) while on-duty and around others indoors at their destination, if the COVID-19 Community Level in the county where their destination is located is HIGH;
• Instruct the traveling individual to make sure they understand and follow all travel restrictions put in place by State, Tribal, local, and territorial governments; and
• Advise the traveling individual to prepare to be flexible during their travel, as restrictions, policies, and circumstances may change during their travel.

Heads of agencies should issue specific travel guidance as needed to account for the specific requirements of their agency’s mission.

Q: Should Federal agencies recommend or require employees to complete CDC-recommended COVID-19 testing before and after official travel? Can the expenses associated with this testing be claimed on a travel voucher for employee reimbursement?

A: When CDC recommends that travelers consider COVID-19 testing for current SARS-CoV-2 infection with a viral test prior to or following travel, agencies should recommend to employees traveling on official business that they consider being tested consistent with such CDC guidance. When CDC otherwise recommends or requires COVID-19 testing prior to or following travel, agencies must require employees traveling on official business be tested consistent with such CDC guidance, pursuant to Executive Order 13991. Agencies should provide for any recommended testing and must provide for any required testing associated with official travel at no cost to the employee, such as through the agency’s screening testing program, the agency’s in-house capabilities for diagnostic testing at the worksite, or through an alternative process determined by the agency. The cost of such testing recommended or required for official travel, and not available through a Federal dispensary or not covered (or reimbursable) through travel insurance, can be claimed in a travel voucher as a Miscellaneous Expense under agency travel policies.

Q: Should agencies limit official travel for individuals who have had a known close contact with someone with COVID-19?

A: No. For asymptomatic individuals who have had a known exposure to someone with COVID-19 within the past 10 days, agencies may approve official travel, consistent with the agency’s travel policy. If the individual remains without COVID-19 symptoms before traveling, then pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance, the agency must instruct the individual to, in addition to other standard pre-travel instructions related to COVID-19:

• Wear a high-quality mask or respirator (such as an N95) the entire time they are on-duty and around others indoors for the full duration of their travel that falls within the 10 full days after their last known exposure;
• Not travel on public transportation such as airplanes, buses, and trains if they will not be able to wear a high-quality mask or respirator (such as an N95) when around others indoors for the full duration of their travel within the 10 full days after their last known exposure; and
• Follow other aspects of post-exposure protocols , including the requirement for individuals with a known exposure to be tested for COVID-19 after 5 full days following their last known exposure (ideally, on or after day 6)—note that this testing may need to occur while the individual is traveling, and that agencies do not need to require that employees wait for the results of this post-exposure diagnostic test to undertake official travel, including return travel.

If the individual develops COVID-19 symptoms after official travel has been approved, then pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance, the agency must instruct the individual to not undertake further official travel, including under that previously approved travel authorization, and to instead follow agency protocols consistent with Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance on travel for individuals with COVID-19 symptoms.

Q: What should agencies do regarding official travel for individuals who develop COVID-19 symptoms or have a positive viral test 10 full days or less prior to their intended departure date?

A: Pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance, agencies must not approve official travel (i.e., travel conducted under an official travel authorization) for individuals who have COVID-19 symptoms and are waiting for an initial diagnostic viral test result, and agencies must not approve official travel for individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 for at least 5 full days after their first day of symptoms, or after the date of the initial positive diagnostic viral test for asymptomatic individuals.

If an individual who tested positive for COVID-19 has returned to working onsite at an agency workplace or interacting with members of the public as part of their official responsibilities (once they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and their other symptoms are improving), then the agency may approve official travel for the individual.

Pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance on isolation, the agency must instruct the individual to, in addition to other standard pre-travel instructions related to COVID-19:

• Wear a high-quality mask or respirator (such as an N95) the entire time they are on-duty and around others indoors for the full duration of their travel that falls within the period they are otherwise required to wear a high-quality mask or respirator after ending isolation , consistent with Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance;
• Not travel on public transportation such as airplanes, buses, and trains if they will not be able to wear a high-quality mask or respirator (such as an N95) when around others indoors for the full duration of their travel that falls within the period they are otherwise required to wear a high-quality mask or respirator after ending isolation , consistent with Safer Federal Workforce Task Force guidance; and
• Follow other aspects of post-isolation protocols .

If after official travel has been approved, the individual’s COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, then pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance on isolation, agencies must instruct the individual to not undertake further official travel, including under any previously approved travel authorization, and to again not enter a Federal facility or interact with members of the public as part of their official responsibilities, restarting at day 0 of isolation protocols.

Q: What should agencies do if an employee has probable or confirmed COVID-19 while on official travel?

A: If an employee has probable or confirmed COVID-19 while on official travel (i.e., travel conducted under an official travel authorization), then pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance, agencies must instruct the individual to follow agency isolation protocols and not undertake further official travel, including return travel, for at least 5 full days after their first day of symptoms, or after the date of the initial positive diagnostic viral test for asymptomatic individuals. The agency must cover all costs associated with travel and lodging expenses, as well as the cost of any diagnostic testing, in these circumstances, to the extent permitted by the Federal Travel Regulation.

After that point, once the individual is fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and their other symptoms are improving, then the agency may instruct the individual that they can proceed with undertaking further travel, including return travel. Pursuant to Executive Order 13991 and consistent with CDC guidance on isolation, the agency must then instruct the individual to, in addition to other standard pre-travel instructions related to COVID-19:

If at any point prior to their return travel the individual’s COVID-19 symptoms recur or worsen, agencies must instruct the individual to not undertake further official travel, including return travel, and to not enter a Federal facility or interact with members of the public as part of their official responsibilities, restarting at day 0 of isolation protocols, consistent with Executive Order 13991 and CDC recommendations on isolation and the protocols set forth by their agency.

The agency must cover all costs associated with travel and lodging expenses, as well as the cost of any diagnostic testing, in these circumstances, to the extent permitted by the Federal Travel Regulation.

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Insurance and Retirement

With the widest selection of health plans in the country, you can choose the coverage that fits the needs of you and your family. This program provides group rates which lower the cost to the employee and also allows enrollments without question of whether you have a pre-existing condition.

Dental and Vision

Supplement dental and vision coverage is available to you at group rates and pre-tax premiums.

The retirement benefit is a three-tiered benefit program comprised of the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), Social Security and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Maximum participation in these programs will ensure a financially secure retirement.

Life Insurance

The Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) provides life insurance coverage for you and your family. You are automatically enrolled in the Basic plan which is valued at your annual salary, plus $2,000. In addition to the Basic coverage, you may elect Standard ($10,000) and Optional coverage providing up to five times your salary.

Learn about the extensive federal employee benefits TSA offers.

Competitive Employment Benefits

Our comprehensive federal benefits package provides employees with the best possible options throughout their careers.

Other Benefits and Perks

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan similar to the traditional 401(k) and Roth IRA. The TSP supplements your FERS retirement and is an important piece to your retirement planning. By contributing 5% each pay day, TSA will match the savings and over time your investments will grow.

The Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) allows you to save money for healthcare expenses with a Health Care or Limited Expense Health Care FSA. Think of it as a savings account that helps you pay for items that typically aren’t covered by your health, dental or vision plans. FSAFEDS also offers a Dependent Care account that can be used to pay for dependent care expenses.

TSA employees accrue time for vacation (annual leave) and sick leave every pay period. Sick leave accrues at the rate of four hours per bi-weekly pay period. The annual leave accrual rate is based on your tenure, full or part-time status and career level.

For more information on Accrual Rates, visit the OPM Pay and Leave page OPM Pay and Leave page .

For full-time employees, overtime hours may include any hours beyond the 8-hour workday or 40-hour workweek, which are ordered in advance by management. For part-time employees, overtime hours are any hours beyond the compressed work schedule for a day (must be more than 8 hours) or for a week (must be more than 40 hours).

Depending on their position, many of our employees are immersed in extensive training programs and given a network of trusted resources so they may grow into confident, knowledgeable professionals. For example, TSO candidates attend training at Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) to prepare them for their new roles in government service.

In certain geographic locations, TSA will provide transportation subsidies to offset commuting costs.

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) are component-specific programs that provide a variety of useful resources to Department of Homeland Security employees and their families, including dependent care resources, financial consultation, legal aid, counseling services and referrals to a variety of other service providers.

Federal Employee Discounts

Federal employees are able to receive discounts from some big-name retailers, car rental companies, airlines, wireless carriers, and others for their service as government employees.

Check out the list below for some of the best federal employee discounts in 2023.

• Apple – Federal employees can purchase select Apple products and third-party solutions for themselves and their immediate family members at a special price
• Gift Baskets Overseas – Federal employees, retirees, and military members can save 10% on any order
• Govx.com – An e-commerce site offering discounts to federal employees, military, law enforcement, and firefighters.
• ID.me – Unlock numerous discounts at major retailers by creating an ID.me account
• Microsoft – Government employees may be eligible for a discount through the Microsoft Home Use Program
• PODS – Federal employees are eligible to save 5% off the cost of the first month of storage or long-distance moves using a PODS storage container
• Samsung – Save up to 30% on computers, tablets, mobile phones, appliances, and more with government discounts when shopping Samsung.com
• Washington Post – Members of the U.S. military and government employees with a valid .mil or .gov email address can get a free digital subscription

Cellular and Wireless

• AT&T – Eligible federal employees can save $10/month per line on the Unlimited Elite plan
• T-Mobile – Employees of eligible government agencies can get exclusive offers because of where they work
• GEICO – Active or retired federal employees, GS-7 and above, could be eligible for a discount on their automobile insurance

Rental Cars

• Avis – Government employees and military members can enroll in Avis Preferred to skip the line and opt-in to earn Avis Preferred Points.
• Alamo – Discounted rates for federal employees and military personnel, including discounts for veterans
• Hertz – Federal employees can get discounted rates and special upgrades on car rentals for leisure travel
• National – Federal employees can get discounted rates on official business with an authorized travel order
• Sixt – Up to 5% discount for government employees
• Thrifty – Free one car-class upgrade for official and government travel and no fee to join Blue Chips Rewards Program
• JetBlue – Government fares are offered on official travel when paying with a government-issued credit card or government travel request
• United – Federal government employees on official business can get special fares with government-issued Visa and MasterCard accounts as payment
• Amtrak – Federal employees can get discounted fares for business travel within the Northeast Corridor as well as discounts for business travel on Coach fares nationwide
• Choice Hotels – Government rates are available at thousands of participating locations
• Hilton – Government rates are offered at participating hotels
• Hyatt – Special government rates are available at US hotels
• IHG – Government rates are available for business and leisure
• Marriott – Government rates may be available when booking
• Wyndham – Government rates are available at US hotels
• Shades of Green – Resort options for Department of Defense (DoD) and Coast Guard (CG) civilian employees

The Office of Personnel Management has partnered with various colleges to provide higher education discounts to federal employees at reduced tuition rates. A current list of the colleges and discount opportunities is maintained on OPM’s website.

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askFW » Federal Government Policies » Federal Employee Allowances

Federal Employee Allowances

Temporary duty (tdy) allowances.

Temporary duty (TDY) allowances are paid to employees traveling on official business, interviewees performing pre-employment interview travel, employees who must interrupt official business travel to perform emergency travel as a result of an incapacitating illness or injury or a personal emergency situation, and threatened law enforcement/investigative employees and members of their family temporarily relocated to safeguard their lives because of a threat resulting from the employee’s assigned duties.

Employees are eligible for repayment of transportation expenses when performing official travel, including local travel. Reimbursable expenses include fares, rental fees, mileage payments and other expenses related to transportation.

Per diem is an allowance (also referred to as subsistence allowance) for lodging and meals and related incidental expenses for travelers on official government business. GSA annually prescribes rates for the contiguous 48 states, called CONUS. A separate rate, called OCONUS, is established for travel outside the contiguous states.

Generally you must have written or electronic authorization prior to incurring any travel expense.

There are three main requirements for using airlines:

• use contract carriers, when available;
• use coach class service unless another class (such as premium economy, business class or first class; terms vary among carriers) of service is authorized; and
• use U.S. flag air carrier or (ship) service, unless use of foreign air carrier or (ship) is authorized.

Use of contract carriers

You generally must use a contract city-pair fare unless: space is not available; the contractor’s flight schedule is inconsistent with your agency’s travel policies; or in certain other circumstances including when another carrier offers a lower fare to the general public that, if used, will result in a lower total trip cost to the federal government (the combined costs of transportation, lodging, meals, and related expenses considered).

You may also use a non-contract fare such as a through fare, special fare, commutation fare, excursion fare or reduced-rate round-trip fare if your agency determines prior to your travel that this type of service is practical and economical to the government, and in the case of a fare that is restricted or has specific eligibility requirements, you know or reasonably can anticipate, based on the travel as planned, that you will use the ticket.

You may not use contract passenger service for personal travel.

The list of city-pairs is at www.gsa.gov/travel-resources under Airfares.

Class of accommodation

For official business travel, both domestic and international, you generally must use coach-class accommodations. Exceptions are:

• No -coach-class accommodation is reasonably available. “Reasonably available” means available on an airline that is scheduled to leave within 24 hours of your proposed departure time, or scheduled to arrive within 24 hours of your proposed arrival time.
• When use of a class other than coach-class is necessary to accommodate a disability or other special need. A disability must be substantiated in writing by a competent medical authority. A special need must be substantiated in writing according to your agency’s procedures. If you are authorized to have an attendant accompany you, your agency also may authorize the attendant to use the same accommodations if you require the attendant’s services en route.
• When exceptional security circumstances require other than coach-class travel.
• When required because of agency mission.

Federal Travel Regulations detail conditions that must be met in order to use other than coach-class accommodations and agency approving officials have the responsibility to ensure that the conditions surrounding the request are reasonable and necessary given the circumstances of the travel and/or the cost of the travel.

Note: FTR Bulletin 22-03 specifically included special needs related to breastfeeding among those that allow an agency to pay for additional travel expenses for an employee on temporary duty.

Pre-Check program

Civilian employees of DoD and the Coast Guard are eligible for the TSA’s Pre-Check expedited screening program, available at more than 100 airports.

Government Vehicles

You may be authorized to use a government vehicle between places of official business, between such places and places of temporary lodging when public transportation is unavailable or its use is impractical; between such places and restaurants, drug stores, barber shops, places of worship, cleaning establishments, and similar places necessary for the sustenance, comfort, or health of the employee to foster the continued efficient performance of government business; or as otherwise authorized by your agency.

You are responsible for any additional cost resulting from unauthorized use of a government vehicle and you may be subject to administrative and/or criminal liability for misuse of government property.

Personal Vehicles

You may use a privately owned vehicle (POV) for official travel when authorized by your agency and be reimbursed for mileage costs. Rates typically are set by calendar year but may change at other times in response to significant changes in fuel prices; see www.gsa.gov/mileage.

Reimbursable expenses include parking fees, ferry fees, bridge, road, and tunnel fees, and aircraft or airplane parking, landing, and tie-down fees. Non-reimbursable expenses include charges for repairs, depreciation, replacements, grease, oil, antifreeze, towage and similar speculative expenses.

Rental cars

Your agency must determine that use of a rental vehicle is advantageous to the government and must specifically authorize such use. You must book reservations through your agency’s electronic travel systems where available; when it is not available, you must book through your agency’s travel management center.

Employees are encouraged to rent from vendors that participate in the U.S. Government Rental Car Agreement program, which features pre-negotiated rates and automatic unlimited mileage and collision damage insurance. See www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/rentalCar.cfm.

Ride sharing

P.L. 115-34 of 2017 made the cost of ride-sharing services, formally termed “transportation network companies” and “innovative mobility technology companies,” to the list of “special conveyances” reimbursable when in the government’s interest for federal employees on official travel on the same basis as using taxi and similar services. The policy applies only when on travel.

Hours of work for travel

Rules in 5 CFR 550.112(g) determine hours of work for travel for both Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exempt and nonexempt (covered) employees. Rules in 5 CFR 551.401(h) and 551.422 are also used to determine hours of work for travel for FLSA-nonexempt employees, so that the total number of hours of work for travel for nonexempt employees is the total determined under both laws.

In general, overtime hours are hours of work that are ordered or approved (or are “suffered or permitted” for nonexempt employees) and are performed by an employee in excess of eight hours in a day or 40 hours in a workweek. Official travel is hours of work if the travel is:

• outside the employee’s official duty station; and
• within the hours of the employee’s regularly scheduled administrative workweek, including regularly scheduled overtime hours (note that overtime hours should not be scheduled specifically to accommodate travel); or
• outside the hours of the employee’s regularly scheduled administrative workweek, is ordered or approved, and meets one of the following four conditions: it involves the performance of work while traveling (such as driving a truck); is incident to travel that involves the performance of work while traveling (such as deadhead travel in order to drive an empty truck back to the point of origin); is carried out under arduous and unusual conditions (for example, on unpaved roads; more arduous than heavy traffic, long distances, cold weather, etc.); or results from an event which could not be scheduled or controlled administratively by any individual or agency in the executive branch of government (such as training scheduled solely by a private firm or a job-related court appearance required by a court subpoena).

Comp time off for travel

Authority at 5 U.S.C. Chapter 55, section 5550(b) allows most federal employees to get compensatory time off for time they spend traveling for official purposes during off-duty hours. Senior Executive Service, Senior Foreign Service, Foreign Service officers, and non-appropriated fund employees are not eligible, nor are employees on intermittent work schedules, but part-time workers are eligible if they are not being paid for the travel time.

To qualify for this purpose, travel must be officially authorized. In other words, travel must be for work purposes and must be approved by an authorized agency official or otherwise authorized under established agency policies.

Travel status includes only the time actually spent traveling between the official duty station and a temporary duty station, or between two temporary duty stations, and the usual waiting time that precedes or interrupts such travel. For example, airline travelers generally are required to arrive at the airport at a designated pre-departure time (often one or two hours before the scheduled departure, depending on whether the flight is domestic or international).

Such waiting time at the airport is considered usual waiting time and is creditable time in a travel status. In addition, time spent at an intervening airport waiting for a connecting flight (for example, one or two hours) also is creditable time in a travel status, subject to exclusions for bona fide meal periods. In all cases, determinations regarding what is creditable as “usual waiting time” are within the sole and exclusive discretion of the employing agency.

Frequent Traveler Credits

Rules at 41 CFR s 301-10 and 301-53 allow federal travelers to keep for their personal use frequent traveler benefits earned while on official travel.

Under the policy, any promotional benefits or materials received from a travel service provider in connection with official travel may be retained for personal use if such items are obtained under the same conditions as those offered to the general public and at no additional cost to the government.

It is the responsibility of each traveler to communicate directly with a service provider to establish a frequent travel promotional benefits account. Any associated costs are to be paid by the traveler, and are not a reimbursable expense.

Employees on official travel may upgrade to first-class or premium-class seating at their personal expense, including through redemption of frequent flyer benefits.

Travel Charge Cards

In general, employees are required to use the government contractor-issued travel charge card for all official travel expenses unless the expense falls under an exemption created either by the General Services Administration or by their agency.

The following exemptions are common for those who have cards: expenses incurred at a vendor that does not accept the government contractor-issued travel charge card or that imposes substantial fees for using one; laundry/dry cleaning; parking; local transportation system; taxi; tips; meals when use of the card is impractical, for example, group meals or the card is not accepted; phone calls (when a government calling card is available for use in accordance with agency policy); individuals traveling on invitational travel; and new appointees.

The card may be used only for official travel related expenses. It is up to individual agencies to determine the discipline for use of cards for non-official purposes. Penalties may range from a reprimand to removal, depending on the seriousness of the offense and whether it was the first such incident involving an employee.

Travel Advances

Travel advances are payable under certain conditions. You must file a travel claim which accounts for your advance after completion of your assignment, in accordance with your agency’s policy. If you are in a continuous travel status (for example, an auditor or inspector) or if you submit periodic reimbursement vouchers on an individual trip authorization, your agency may reimburse you the full amount of your travel expenses without any deduction of your advance until such time as you file a final voucher.

If the amount advanced is less than the amount of the voucher on which it is deducted, you will be reimbursed the net amount. If the advance exceeds the reimbursable amount, you must immediately refund the excess.

Per diem expense allowances

You are eligible for a per diem or actual expense allowance when you perform official travel away from your official station, incur per diem expenses on that travel and are in a travel status for more than 12 hours. Per diem expenses will be reimbursed by one of these methods:

• lodgings-plus;
• actual expenses; or
• reduced per diem rate.

The General Services Administration establishes the maximum CONUS (Continental United States) per diem rates for federal travelers (the Defense Department establishes the “OCONUS” or Outside Continental United States rates for Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. possessions).

The rates are designed to provide a sufficient allowance for the traveler to stay at safe and comfortable rooms while on official business. The rates are set according to a survey of hotel and meal costs in locations regularly traveled to by government employees on official business. These generally are “two-star” and “three-star” hotels that are on a fire safety list (federal law encourages federal employees to stay at hotels meeting certain fire safety standards). GSA establishes the appropriate per diem allowance for each location, setting in-season and off-season rates whose dates vary locally for locations with distinct in-demand travel seasons.

Agencies have the authority to pay actual expenses of up to three times the established per diem rate where rates are not sufficient based on a specific need. The agency decides what may be approved as reimbursement of appropriate expenses incurred for occasional meals or lodging that are determined to be necessary and justified by the circumstances involved.

Rates under the lodgings-plus system vary according to where the travel occurs.

Your TDY location determines your maximum per diem reimbursement rate. If you arrive at your lodging location after 12 midnight, you claim lodging cost for the preceding calendar day. If no lodging is required, the applicable M&IE reimbursement rate is the rate for the TDY location.

If lodging is not available at your TDY location, your agency may authorize or approve the maximum per diem rate for the location where lodging is obtained.

Your per diem or actual expense entitlement starts on the day you depart your home, office, or other authorized point and ends on the day you return to your home, office or other authorized point.

You may stay in a lodging facility of your choice. You are encouraged to stay in lodging facilities that are “approved accommodations” for safety standards. To ensure that you are staying in an approved facility, given the best available choices and/or obtaining government discount rates, you are further encouraged to make lodging arrangements through your agency’s travel management service.

GSA lists local rates and related information at www.gsa.gov/perdiem. The State Department is responsible for setting foreign country per diem rates (https://aoprals.state.gov), and the Defense Department is responsible for rates in non-foreign areas outside the contiguous 48 states (www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/perdiem.cfm).

Lodgings Programs

Use of GSA’s programs is recommended but not mandatory. The FedRooms program provides federal travelers on official business for stays up to 30 days with hotel rooms at or below per diem rates with flexible terms. It is operated through a partnership with a private company. FedRooms rates are available through all of the government’s preferred booking channels. For a list of current hotels or other information, call (800) 226-1741 or go to www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/gsa-lodging/fedrooms. That site also has information about a market research tool for planning meetings.

The Long Term Lodging program is designed for lodging needs of 30 days or more for temporary or permanent employee relocation or extended training in facilities that include apartment buildings and condominiums. See www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/gsa-lodging.

Actual Expense Reimbursement

Actual expense reimbursement is warranted when:

• lodging and/or meals are procured at a prearranged place such as a hotel where a meeting, conference or training session is held;
• costs have escalated because of special events;
• lodging and meal expenses within prescribed allowances cannot be obtained nearby; and
• costs to commute to/from the nearby location consume most or all of the savings achieved from occupying less expensive lodging.

Reduced Per Diem Rate

An agency prescribes a reduced per diem rate lower than the prescribed maximum when it can determine in advance that lodging and/or meal costs will be lower than the per diem rate; and the lowest authorized per diem rate must be stated in your travel authorization in advance of your travel.

Filing for Reimbursement

To be reimbursed, you must file a travel claim that includes an itemized list of expenses and other information required on the reimbursement form your agency uses. You must provide receipts for any lodging expense, except when you are authorized a fixed reduced per diem allowances, and for any other expense costing over $75. You must also list any leave taken and any non-duty points visited.

Relocation Allowances

Relocation allowances are payable to civilian employees upon transfer from one official duty station or agency to another for permanent duty, and to those assigned to posts of duty outside the continental United States in connection with overseas tour renewal agreement travel and upon return to places of residence for the purpose of separation. Relocation allowances also are payable to new appointees, career appointees to the Senior Executive Service (SES), prior SES appointees who have elected to retain SES retirement benefits, and medical directors of Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, upon their retirement and return to the place the individual has elected to reside.

Allowances are payable when: the transfer is in the interest of the government and is not primarily for the convenience or benefit of the employee or at his or her request; the transfer is to a new official station which is at least 10 miles from the old official station; and, in the case of a relatively short distance relocation, a determination of eligibility is made.

P.L. 115-97 made taxable as ordinary income several forms of relocation payments that previously were not taxed, including payments for driving mileage, airfare and lodging expenses for en route travel to the new duty station; shipment of household items; and temporary storage of those items. However, under a series of guidance documents culminating in FTR Bulletin 21-02 (at www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations-regulations under FTR and Related Files), while agencies are to collect the taxes from employees’ pay, they then are to reimburse them for “substantially all” of the increased tax liability through two other forms of relocation benefits, withholding tax allowances and relocation income tax allowances.

The law did not make taxable another relocation benefit, in which a relocation services company buys the residences of transferees and then sells them.

Note: A series of guidance documents culminating in FTR Bulletin 22-07 (at that same address) allows agencies to waive for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic normal time limits in policies for relocation, temporary storage of household goods shipments, house hunting trips and certain other purposes in official relocation travel and renewal agreement travel.

Allowances for Transportation and Temporary Storage of Household Goods and Professional Materials

Employees are eligible for transportation and temporary storage of their household goods when they are transferred, regardless of whether the official stations involved are within or outside the continental United States, are appointed to positions in which government transportation to the first official station is allowable, or are separated after completion of a period of service overseas.

The maximum weight of household goods that may be transported or stored at government expense is limited to 18,000 pounds net weight for all employees. There may be instances in which the weight of the professional books, papers, and equipment would cause an employee’s household goods shipment to be in excess of the maximum weight allowance. In such instances, the personally owned professional books, papers, and equipment may be transported to the new permanent duty station as an administrative expense of an agency (not chargeable to travel and transportation appropriations). Shipment of these items as an administrative expense would be instead of shipment as an allowance of the employee.

Allowances for Transportation or Emergency Storage of a Privately Owned Vehicle

An agency may authorize transportation of a privately owned vehicle to a post of duty or emergency storage. Each agency determines the conditions under which it will pay for transportation and emergency storage and the procedures a transferred employee must follow.

Under FTR Amendment 2022-01 (at www.gsa.gov/policy-regulations-regulations under FTR and Related Files),  agencies may reimburse relocating employees rental car fees when their privately owned vehicle suffers a shipping delay when arriving at or returning from a foreign or non-foreign area outside the continental United States.

Only a passenger automobile, station wagon, small truck, or other similar vehicle that will be used primarily for personal transportation may be stored at agency expense. You may not transport or store a trailer, airplane, or any vehicle intended for commercial use.

Househunting Trip Expenses Allowance

The term “househunting trip” refers to a trip made by the employee and/or spouse to the new official station locality to find permanent living quarters to rent or purchase. “Living quarters” includes apartments, condominiums, and cooperatives in addition to townhomes and single family homes.

You are eligible for a househunting trip expenses allowance if you are an employee who is authorized to transfer, and in addition:

• both your old and new official stations are located within the United States;
• you are not assigned to government or other prearranged housing at the new official station; and
• your old and new official stations are 75 or more miles apart (as measured by map distance) via a usually traveled surface route.

New appointees, employees assigned under the government Employees Training Act and employees returning from overseas assignments for purposes of separation are not eligible for a househunting trip expenses allowance.

Your agency determines when it is in the government’s interest to authorize a househunting trip and the procedures you must follow if it is authorized.

Residence Transaction Allowance

The residence transaction allowance reimburses an employee for expenses in connection with the sale of one residence at his or her old official station, for purchase (including construction) of one dwelling at his or her new official station, or for the settlement of an unexpired lease involving his or her residence or a lot on which a mobile home used as his or her residence was located at the old official station. The allowance is payable if a permanent change of station is authorized or approved, the old and new official stations are located within the United States, and the employee has signed a service agreement.

Home sale expenses payable include:

• brokers’ fees and real estate commissions.
• other advertising, selling, and appraisal expenses.
• legal and related expenses.
• miscellaneous expenses including: FHA or VA fees for the loan application; loan origination fees and similar charges such as loan assumption fees and loan transfer fees.

Expenses incurred for settling an unexpired lease (including month-to-month rental) for residence quarters occupied by the employee at the old official station may include broker’s fees for obtaining a sublease or charges for advertising an unexpired lease.

Temporary Change of Station

A temporary change of station (TCS) means the relocation of an employee to a new official station for a temporary period while the employee is performing a long-term assignment, and subsequent return of the employee to the previous official station upon completion of that assignment. You are eligible if you are an employee who is directed to perform a long-term assignment at a temporary location, and you otherwise would be eligible for payment of temporary duty travel allowances.

Generally a TCS will be authorized when:

• you are directed to perform a long-term assignment at another duty station;
• your agency otherwise could authorize temporary duty travel and pay travel allowances, including payment of subsistence expenses;
• your agency determines it would be more advantageous, cost and other factors considered, to authorize a TCS; and
• you meet any additional conditions your agency has established.

If your agency authorizes a TCS, you do not have the option of electing payment of temporary duty travel allowances instead.

A TCS may last not less than six months nor longer than 30 months. If your assignment is cut short for reasons other than separation from government service, you will be paid TCS expenses.

If your assignment exceeds 30 months, your agency must permanently assign you to the temporary official station or return you to your previous official station. Your agency may not pay for nontemporary storage or property management services incurred after the last day of the thirtieth month. Your agency must pay the expenses of returning you and your immediate family and household goods to your previous official station unless you are permanently assigned to your temporary official station.

There is no required minimum distance between an official station and a long-term assignment location that must be met to qualify for a TCS.

If it authorizes a TCS, your agency must pay:

• travel, including per diem, for you and your immediate family;
• transportation and temporary storage of your household goods;
• transportation of a mobile home instead of transportation of household goods;
• a miscellaneous expenses allowance;
• transportation of a privately owned vehicle(s); and
• a relocation income tax allowance for additional income taxes you incur on payments your agency makes for your relocation expenses.

The same expenses will be paid in connection with your return to your previous official station at the end of the assignment.

Agencies may reimburse employees for storage of a POV when the employee is assigned a temporary change of station in support of military “contingency” operations, generally meaning combat-type operations.

Payment of TCS expenses stops if your temporary official station becomes your permanent official station.

Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance

“Temporary quarters subsistence expenses” or “TQSE” are subsistence expenses incurred by an employee and/or his or her immediate family while occupying temporary quarters. TQSE does not include local transportation expenses incurred during occupancy of temporary quarters.

You are eligible for a TQSE allowance if you are an employee who is authorized to transfer, your new official station is located within the United States, and your old and new official stations are 40 miles or more apart (as measured by map distance) via a usually traveled surface route. New appointees, employees assigned under the Government Employees Training Act and employees returning from an overseas assignment for the purpose of separation are not eligible for a TQSE allowance.

Your agency determines whether it is in the government’s interest to pay TQSE. If authorized, only you and/or your immediate family may occupy temporary quarters at government expense.

Use of a Relocation Services Company

If you are an employee who is authorized to transfer you may be eligible to use a relocation services company. Your agency determines eligibility. If authorized, your agency will pay the relocation services company’s fees and expenses for the services you are authorized to use. If your agency pays the relocation services company for actual expenses the company incurs on your behalf, payment to the company is limited to what you would have received under direct reimbursement provisions.

If you use a contracted-for relocation service that is a substitute for reimbursable relocation allowance, you will not be reimbursed for the relocation allowance as well.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Under 41 CFR 302-16, an employee transferred in the interests of the government is entitled to a miscellaneous expenses allowance to defray various costs associated with relocation, such as disconnecting and connecting appliances, cutting and fitting draperies and rugs moved from one residence to another, utility fees and deposits, forfeiture of non-reimbursable contracts, certain automobile-related costs, and similar costs. An employee transferring alone is entitled to a lump-sum of the lesser of one week of basic gross pay or $650, and one accompanied by a family is entitled to the lesser of two weeks of basic gross pay or $1,300. No documentation is required for those amounts. With supporting documentation, higher payments may be made within limits.

Travel and Relocation Appeals

If your agency denies your claim for reimbursement related to official travel, you must first follow your agency’s procedures for challenging disallowed claims. This may mean that you must file a new claim, providing full itemization for all disallowed items reclaimed, receipts for all disallowed items reclaimed that require receipts (except that you do not have to provide a receipt if your agency already has the receipt), a copy of the notice of disallowance and state the proper authority for your claim if you are challenging your agency’s application of the law or statute.

If after reconsideration by your agency your claim is still denied, you may mail your claim for adjudication to the Office of the Clerk, Civilian Board of Contract Appeals, 6th Floor, 1800 M St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20036 or submit electronically at https://cbca.gov/howto/efiling.html. Phone (202) 606-8800, online www.cbca.gov. (Note: Information on an alternative dispute resolution procedure is at that site.)

The burden is on the claimant to establish the timeliness of the claim, the liability of the agency, and the claimant’s right to payment. The Board will issue the final decision on a claim based on the information submitted by the claimant and the agency.

TSP Returns Summary

Source: TSP.gov

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In This Section

• About the Office
• Bureaus and Offices
• Biden Administration Ethics Pledge Waivers
• Basic Obligation of Public Service
• Government-wide Ethics Laws
• Conflicts and Impartiality
• DOI Ethics Prohibitions (Unique to DOI Employees)
• Ethics in Emergency Situations
• Ethics Pledge Overview
• Use of Your Public Office (Use of Public Position)
• Use of Government Property, Time, and Information
• Outside Work and Activities
• Political Activity
• Seeking Non-Federal Employment
• Restrictions on Post-Government Employment
• Special Government Employees
• Ethics Toolkit for Researchers and Scientists
• Financial Disclosure
• Annual Ethics Training
• Initial Ethics Training
• Training Library
• Widely Attended Gatherings (DI-1958)
• Acceptance of Travel Expenses (DI-2000)
• Outside Work and Activities (DI-7010)
• Requests for Financial Disclosure Reports (OGE Form 201)
• STOCK Act Notification Form

Traveling on Official Business –  41 C.F.R. Chapter 304

Generally, your official travel must be paid with appropriated funds. Under certain circumstances, however, the Department or your bureau/office may accept in-kind travel benefits from a non-Federal source on your behalf, or the Department or your bureau/office may be reimbursed for your travel expenses by a non-Federal source.

Travel Expense Acceptance -  31 U.S.C. § 1353

This law allows Executive Branch agencies to accept reimbursement or in-kind donations from non-Federal sources for an employee's transportation expenses (including food, lodging, incidental expenses, and registration costs) to certain functions related to the employee's official duties.

Acceptance of travel expenses from non-Federal sources is only permitted when the employee's travel is for attendance at a conference, meeting, seminar, training course, speaking engagement, or similar event that takes place away from the employee's official duty station (the employee must be in a travel status). Travel under this authority may not be used for events required to carry out DOI's statutory and regulatory functions, such as investigations, inspections, audits, site visits, or to attend vendor promotional training.

In addition to an approved travel authorization, the employee must also have an approved ethics form  DI-2000  in advance of travel. Approval for accepting travel expenses is also subject to conflict-of-interest considerations. Acceptance of travel expenses from non-Federal sources will not be approved if it would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of all the relevant facts to question the integrity of the programs or operations of the Department, its offices, or bureaus.

It is not permissible for an employee to personally accept reimbursement from an outside source. All checks must be made out to DOI or to the employee's bureau. With prior approval, employees may accept "in kind" items such as airline tickets, meals, or hotel accommodations. In addition to accepting travel expenses for an employee, DOI may accept travel expenses for a spouse to accompany the employee to the same event where the spouse's presence is determined to be in the interest of DOI or the employee’s bureau.

Other Authorities to Accept Travel Expenses

31 U.S.C. § 1353 is the preferred authority to use if reimbursement or in-kind donation of travel expenses to a meeting or similar function is offered by an outside source. There are additional statutes that authorize acceptance of employees' travel expenses for other than meetings or similar functions.

The authority under  5 U.S.C. § 4111  to accept travel expenses from non-profit organizations described by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (with the approval of the DAEO or bureau ethics counselor), still exists when it is reasonably impractical for the agency to accept travel under 31 U.S.C. § 1353. Employees may also accept travel expenses under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act when the employee is attending an event other than a conference or a meeting, or occasions permissible under 31 U.S.C. § 1353.

Other provisions that remain in effect are (1) the authority under  5 U.S.C. § 3343  for employees to accept travel expenses in connection with details to foreign governments and public international organizations, (2) the authority under  5 U.S.C. § 5751  for employees and agencies to accept travel expenses when summoned or assigned to provide official testimony on behalf of parties other than the United States, and (3) the authority under  15 U.S.C. § 3710a  to carry out agreements under the Federal Technology Transfer Act.

Finally, there are statutory authorities that allow bureaus to accept gifts of travel, food, and lodging, in connection with programs for the advancement of Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, or other bureau-specific programs that are not covered under 31 U.S.C. § 1353. Assistance in using these authorities is provided by the Departmental Ethics Office, ethics counselors from your bureau, and your Solicitor's Office General Law Division.

Frequent Flyer Benefits -  41 C.F.R. § 301-53

Federal employees may retain for personal use promotional items, including frequent flyer miles, earned on official travel.

Airline Bumping Benefits

An employee may voluntarily give up his or her seat on an oversold flight as long as it does not interfere with his or her official duties and there is no increase in costs to the Government. If this situation applies, the employee may keep any gift or compensation under the following conditions. The employee may not claim additional travel expenses, including per diem, as a result of giving up his or her seat. The employee must take annual leave if his or her travel is delayed during duty hours and pay any expenses accrued while on leave. Any benefits resulting from an employee being involuntarily bumped from an oversold flight belong to the Government.

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• Per Diem Lookup

To eliminate the confusion caused by a duplicate regulation, we discontinued hosting the FTR. Follow the link below to view the official copy.

Access the federal travel regulation on eCFR.gov

Explore the official regulation publications on the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations.

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The Federal Travel Regulation summarizes the travel and relocation policy for all federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at the government’s expense. Federal employees and agencies may use the FTR as a reference to ensure official travel and relocation is conducted in a responsible and cost effective manner.

Download the FTR (41 CFR) [PDF]

Last annual edition updated July 1, 2021. Prior years may be found at Code of Federal Regulations (Annual Edition) . Contents may be out of date. Refer to eCFR.gov for the most up-to-date regulation information.

Explore bulletins and other documents .

PER DIEM LOOK-UP

1 choose a location.

Error, The Per Diem API is not responding. Please try again later.

No results could be found for the location you've entered.

Rates for Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories and Possessions are set by the Department of Defense .

Rates for foreign countries are set by the State Department .

2 Choose a date

Rates are available between 10/1/2021 and 09/30/2024.

The End Date of your trip can not occur before the Start Date.

Traveler reimbursement is based on the location of the work activities and not the accommodations, unless lodging is not available at the work activity, then the agency may authorize the rate where lodging is obtained.

Unless otherwise specified, the per diem locality is defined as "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city, including independent entities located within those boundaries."

Per diem localities with county definitions shall include "all locations within, or entirely surrounded by, the corporate limits of the key city as well as the boundaries of the listed counties, including independent entities located within the boundaries of the key city and the listed counties (unless otherwise listed separately)."

When a military installation or Government - related facility(whether or not specifically named) is located partially within more than one city or county boundary, the applicable per diem rate for the entire installation or facility is the higher of the rates which apply to the cities and / or counties, even though part(s) of such activities may be located outside the defined per diem locality.

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Pay & Benefits

Play a critical role in the safety and efficiency of air travel and receive exceptional benefits, extraordinary work life programs, excellent education opportunities and competitive salaries. Our pay for performance programs and robust Federal benefits package rival, and often exceed, those offered in the private sector.

The following Total Rewards are offered to all  FAA  employees and include:

Compensation

FAA  offers a variety of pay plans, with pay for performance opportunities and flexible broad pay bands that provide:

• Competitive salaries designed to reward education, experience and performance
• Opportunity to earn annual pay increases based on performance, not just longevity
• The unique opportunity for managers to earn annual incentive payments based on individual and agency performance
• Performance-based incentives, cash and time off awards

Talent Development

As an  FAA  employee, you'll have access to continuous opportunities to learn, grow personally and professionally, enhance your team, and develop others.  FAA  employees can choose from a variety of opportunities for professional growth including:

• Onsite training
• Web-based courses
• Peer mentoring
• Personalized development plans
• Leadership development
• Management training programs

Benefits & WorkLife

We not only offer comprehensive benefits and worklife programs to secure your future and balance your daily needs but also provide you stellar service for managing these programs through our Benefits Operations Center.

Retirement (Securing your future)

• Thrift Savings Plan ( TSP ) with immediate vesting on  FAA  match
• FERS  Retirement Pension Plan

Health and Welfare Benefits

• Federal Employee Health Benefits ( FEHB )
• Dental and Vision Benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Long-term Care Insurance

Paid Time Off

• 23 Days minimum paid time off (Holiday leave: 11 days per year; vacation leave: 13-26 days accrued per year depending on length of service)
• Sick leave is accumulated 13 days per year

• Alternative Work Schedules
• Nursing Mothers Program
• Voluntary Leave Transfer Program
• Child Care Subsidy
• Child Care Programs
• Personal counseling (in-person and virtual)
• Life management services (child and senior care, moving, pets, home repair, disaster support, discounts, etc.)
• Senior care management
• Child care referral services
• Lifestyle coaching
• Health and wellness resources
• Legal & financial services
• Support tools for managers
• Onsite and virtual trainings
• Critical Incident Stress Management services when tragedy happens

Other perks:

Depending on your office location, some of the below amenities are available.

• On-site Health Unit for urgent medical care, flu shots, preventative screenings and more
• On-site Healthcare Seminars and Employee-Provider Fairs
• On-site Daycare Facilities
• On-site Exercise Classes
• On-site Locker Rooms
• Transportation Subsidies
• Full-service Cafeteria

Federal Benefits

As a Federal employee, depending on the type of appointment, you'll receive a benefits package that rivals, if not surpasses, those offered in the private sector. It includes a variety of insurance, retirement, leave and flexible spending options for employees and their families. The comprehensive package is designed to provide employees with the tools and care they need to be happy and healthy at work and at home.

Federal benefits include:

FERS  is a retirement plan that provides benefits from three different sources:

• Basic Benefit Plan (annuity)
• Social Security
• Thrift Savings Plan ( TSP )

Important : Your contribution into  FERS  is dependent on when you are first hired. If you are first hired into the federal government after December 31, 2013, your retirement system is  FERS - FRAE  and your contribution is 4.4% (4.9% for Air Traffic Controllers) of your salary.

Learn more about Federal retirement .

WorkLife Benefits

FAA  is not governed by the General Schedule ( GS ) pay system. Instead, salaries for  FAA  employees are categorized into six different pay plans determined by your job category and experience level. Pay plans are as follows:

• Core Compensation Salary Table   ( MS  Excel)
• Air Traffic Specialized Pay Plan ( ATSPP ) Pay Tables   ( MS  Excel)
• Staff Support Specialist (MSS-1) Pay Tables   ( MS  Excel)
• Manager and Supervisor (MSS-2/3/4) Pay Tables   ( MS  Excel)
• Flight Service Specialist ( FSS ) Pay Tables   ( MS  Excel)
• Executive Compensation Pay Tables   ( MS  Excel)  (See tabs for each locality along bottom of spreadsheet.)
• 2023 General Schedules (GS Locality Pay Tables)
• Federal Wage System and Schedules

In addition to these competitive base salaries, we also offer Locality Pay and Non-Foreign Cost-of-Living Allowances that are dependent upon your geographic location and reflect the relative cost of labor across the country.

• Employment Forms
• AVIATOR  FAQ   ( PDF )
• New York  TRACON  Transfer Procedures   ( PDF )
• AT  Basics Information   ( PDF )
• Medical Officer Application Guidance

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions about overseas coverage.

Overseas Coverage

What is a direct billing or guarantee of benefits arrangement.

A direct billing or guarantee of benefits arrangement is an agreement between GeoBlue, our overseas vendor, and our overseas providers. When a provider agrees to a direct billing arrangement they will bill GeoBlue directly so there’s no need for you to file a claim. These providers also agree to accept our allowance as payment in full for their services.

Do I have benefits for evacuation?

Our Overseas Assistance Center offers emergency evacuation services only to the nearest facility that is adequately equipped to treat your condition. Benefits are not available to transport you to a facility in the United States unless it is the closest facility that can provide adequate treatment. Benefits are not available for evacuation in the event of a natural disaster.

How do I arrange a direct billing or guarantee of benefits arrangement?

You can ask GeoBlue to work with your provider to arrange a direct billing or guarantee of benefits arrangement by contacting our Overseas Assistance Center. If you’re in the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, call 1-800-699-4337 . If you’re overseas, call 1-804-673-1678 .

Am I covered overseas?

Yes, your Service Benefit Plan coverage protects you around the world. Benefits for covered services under FEP Blue Focus ® , FEP Blue Basic™ and FEP Blue Standard™ are paid at the Preferred level. Physician care performed outside the U.S. is paid at the Preferred level using an Overseas Fee Schedule or a provider-negotiated amount. You may be responsible for differences between our payment and the provider charge since overseas providers do not agree to accept our payment as payment in full in all cases. See Section 5(i) in the Service Benefit Plan brochure for more information about how benefits are paid for care performed overseas.

What is GeoBlue®?

GeoBlue, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is our Overseas Assistance Center vendor. They can assist you with locating providers, accessing medical care and assistance abroad and overseas claims.

What is the GeoBlue Pre-Departure Program?

The GeoBlue Pre-Departure Program is here to help you manage your transition to a new country with advice, support and answers to any health questions you might have. Healthcare experts can give you personalized advice on maintaining and managing your health while overseas. These experts can also help you find a doctor in the country you’re going to and make sure you can still get any medicine you need.

The Pre-Departure Program offers:

• Personalized consultations with healthcare experts before you leave to help you and your family know what to expect in your new host country
• Help with planning your healthcare needs in your new host country
• Guidance to quality healthcare professionals to avoid any disruption of care

What is the GeoBlue ® Pre-Departure Questionnaire?

As part of the GeoBlue Pre-Departure Program, the Pre-Departure Questionnaire gives us information about your medical needs. You can complete the questionnaire to prepare for your upcoming travel. You can access the questionnaire here . If you choose to speak with a healthcare expert, you will receive personalized advice on maintaining and managing your health in your new living situation. There is a link to frequently asked questions on the last page of the questionnaire.

Filing a Claim

How do i file a claim online.

Filing your overseas medical and pharmacy claims online is easy and provides faster processing and claims payment. You can do so by logging on to our secure member website, MyBlue ® .

If you already have a MyBlue account, login with your username and password here .

If you need to register for an account, click here .

Please note that to complete registration, you will need information from a recent Explanation of Benefits (EOB) or your Personal Identification Number (PIN). In the U.S., you can get a PIN by calling 1-800-411-BLUE (2583) and following the prompts for help setting up a MyBlue account. If you are overseas, please call customer service at 1-888-999-9862 from 5:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Once you’ve logged in to MyBlue, click the Submit Overseas Claims link in the main navigation under Claims & Costs.

In order to submit claims electronically, you will need:

• Your policy information.
• Claim(s) information.
• Relevant receipts or bills.

How do I file a claim by mail or fax?

You can find our Overseas Medical Claim Form and the Retail Prescription Drug Overseas Claim Form here , or you can call 1-888-999-9862 to request that we send you the claim forms.

If you access a claim form on our website, you can enter the information directly on the form; print a copy to send to us and save a copy for your records.

In most situations, you will need to pay the provider up front and submit a completed Overseas Medical Claim Form and your itemized bills to us at:

FEP Overseas P.O. Box 1568 Southeastern, PA 19399

You may also fax your claims to us at 1-610-293-3529 .

Payment for covered services will be sent to you. If the provider does not require payment at the time the care is performed, you may request we pay the provider directly by filling out section 5C (Authorization for the Assignment of Benefits) of the charges and payment information on the claim form, and leaving the Member Payment Information and sections 5A and 5B (Bank Wire Information) blank. Send the claim form along with the itemized bills from the provider to the address or fax number listed above and on the back of the claim form. Section 3A must include the diagnosis or reason for the services in order to process your claim.

To file a claim for covered drugs and supplies you purchase from pharmacies outside of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, send a completed Retail Prescription Drug Overseas Claim Form, along with itemized pharmacy receipts or bills to:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan Retail Pharmacy Program P.O. Box 52057 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2057

You can also fax your claim to us at 001-480-614-7674 .

What is an itemized bill?

An itemized bill must be on the provider’s letterhead or the equivalent and must include:

• Name of the patient.
• Name and address of the person or firm providing the service or supply.
• Date for each service or supply. If your claim contains a range of dates, we must have the exact date, service rendered, and charge for each specified date within the range.
• Type or description for each service or supply.
• The diagnosis for each service or supply.
• The charge for each service or supply.

Claims from a military facility must be made payable to the provider unless the claim contains proof that the member has already paid the provider. The itemized bill or receipt from the provider must clearly state the claim was paid up front.

Please note, we cannot accept a statement of account or a payment reminder as an itemized bill. To be considered valid and itemized, the bill must include the information listed above.

How do I receive reimbursement?

Complete Section 5, Reimbursement Information, of the Overseas Medical Claim Form. Effective January 1, 2019, we are no longer able to provide local currency check reimbursement. Payments to members via wire transfer can only be made to the contract holder’s account.

Please note a wire transfer may take longer to process than a paper check in U.S. dollars.If you do not select your reimbursement option, payment will be made by check in U.S. dollars.

Payments for covered drugs and supplies you purchase from pharmacies outside of the United States and Puerto Rico will only be made by check in U.S. dollars.

Note concerning the Authorization For Assignment of Benefits section on the claim form - Please remember that if you would like to have our payment assigned (made payable to the provider of service), the Authorization for Assignment of Benefits section on the Overseas Medical Claim Form must be completed in its entirety.

What if my claims are in a different language and currency?

That is not a problem. When your claim is received, we will do the translation and currency conversion. The currency conversion is based on the date of service or the date you paid the bill. For the most accurate currency conversion, please provide us a receipt with the date the bill was paid, the amount you paid and the exchange rate used, if available.

What if I have Medicare or supplemental travel insurance?

Medicare does not provide benefits for care performed outside the U.S. Therefore, if you have Medicare as your primary insurer and you receive services outside the United States and U.S. Territories, there is no need to send your claim to Medicare. Please send the completed claim form and itemized bills to us. We will consider benefits at 100% of our Plan allowance. If you choose a supplemental insurance plan to cover you while overseas, we will remain your primary insurance. This means that you will submit any claims for medical care to us first.

Why was my claim returned to me?

We need certain information to properly process your claim. You may experience a delay while we try to get all the information we need from you.

Here are some commonly omitted items that cause claim delays. We hope that providing this information to you will enable us to serve you better by reducing delays.

Commonly MISSING items on the Overseas Medical Claim Form and/or the provider’s bill include:

• Diagnosis or reason for treatment.
• Accident date or date of onset of injury.
• Patient’s complete name on both the bill and the claim form.
• U.S. brand name (or generic equivalent) for drugs purchased - if you do not have this information, please provide the insert that comes with the drug (usually a white sheet of paper that describes the drug).
• Description of medical or dental services performed.
• Description of surgical procedure performed.
• Length of time patient was anesthetized.
• Signature of the member.
• Dates of service - a range of dates, such as indicating “10 visits between January and March,” is not sufficient. We must have each individual date that medical service was provided. We also need to have inpatient dates of service when you are hospitalized.
• If available, please submit any supporting medical records, such as medical orders and notes with the claim to prevent unnecessary claim delays.

Overseas Providers

How do i find an overseas provider.

We have a network of professional providers who have agreed to accept a negotiated amount as payment in full for their services. You can view a list of our network providers here . Members who find a provider through their MyBlue account will have access to additional provider information. The Overseas Assistance Center can also help you locate a hospital or physician in our network closest to your area.

If you are overseas and need assistance locating providers (whether in or out of network), contact the Overseas Assistance Center.

Overseas: 1-804-673-1678 U.S., Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands: 1-800-699-4337 (toll-free) Email: [email protected]

For your convenience, you can contact one of the multilingual operators at the Overseas Assistance Center 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If I don’t receive a direct billing or guarantee of benefits from the provider, what will be my cost share for inpatient services?

You’ll pay the regular benefits for inpatient services outlined in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan brochure . You will have to pay the provider upfront and then we will reimburse you for our portion of the cost for the service.

Can I get a printed copy of the overseas provider directory?

We don’t produce printed provider directories. You can access the most comprehensive directory online here .

If you would like a list of hospitals and providers in your area, you can also call our Overseas Assistance Center at 1-804-673-1678 (if you’re currently in the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, call 1-800-699-4337 . You can also email them at [email protected] .

My provider is not listed in the directory. Do I need to change providers?

No. You can confirm your out-of-pocket costs by calling the Overseas Assistance Center. If you are overseas, please call the center at 1-804-673-1678 . Members in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands should call 1-800-699-4337 .

Is there a way for me to know which providers already have a direct billing or guarantee of benefits in place?

You can call our Overseas Assistance Center. If you’re overseas, call 001-804-673-1678 . If you’re in the U.S., Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, call 1-800-699-4337 .

Can my provider join your overseas network?

We are committed to expanding our overseas provider network. If you would like to nominate your provider, click the  link  to download our Overseas Provider Nomination Form and save the form to your computer.  Once you complete the form, email it to  [email protected] or fax it to 1-610-293-3529 .

How can I obtain my prescriptions while I am overseas?

If you are traveling outside the country and need a pharmacy, you can call 1-800-624-5060   for 24/7 assistance with understanding  your overseas benefits.  

Can I use my Mail Service Prescription Drug Program benefit overseas?

If you are a FEP Blue Standard member or if you are a FEP Blue Basic member with Medicare Part B primary, your coverage includes our Mail Service Pharmacy benefit. You can order prescription drugs through the Mail Service Pharmacy if:

• Your address includes a U.S. zip code (such as with DPO, APO and FPO addresses and in U.S. territories),
• The prescribing physician is licensed in the United States, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands and
• Delivery of the prescription is permitted by law and is in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. Temperature sensitive drugs cannot be shipped overseas , for these medications your Retail overseas cost share will apply.

We suggest you contact Caremark directly to ensure your specific drug can be mailed overseas.You may contact them by calling 1-800-262-7890 or by writing to them at:

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Service Benefit Plan Retail Pharmacy Program P.O. Box 52057 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2080

You may be eligible for an extended filling of the prescription from Caremark while overseas or before going overseas, so you may also want to discuss this with Caremark. Please note this will require a prescription from your doctor for 12 months and is not applicable for controlled substances.

Can I use my FEP Medicare Prescription Drug Program benefits overseas?

No, the FEP Medicare Prescription Drug Program (MPDP)  is only available to residents of the U.S. or a U.S. territory. Guam is considered overseas; however, some pharmacies may be able to bill electronically.

Can I use my benefits if I purchase my prescription through an overseas internet pharmacy?

Members who live overseas can purchase drugs from an overseas pharmacy, as long as the drugs are shipped to the member’s overseas address. We do not cover drugs purchased from overseas online or mail pharmacies for our members currently living in the United States.

What is my copay for overseas claims?

You can view overseas benefits, copays and coinsurance for all three plan options here .

I live in Germany, so how does that affect delivery of my drugs through the mail?

You cannot order drugs through the Mail Order or Specialty Pharmacy if you have an APO or FPO shipping address in Germany, due to current German law. You must get your prescriptions at a local pharmacy in Germany and submit the claim for reimbursement. You will be charged the lesser of the Mail Order, Specialty or Retail cost share when submitting claims for covered drugs obtained at a local retail pharmacy in Germany. Temperature sensitive drugs cannot be shipped overseas to any country, for these medications your Retail overseas cost share will apply. 

If you reside in Germany and have a DPO military address, you can receive non-cold pack medication delivery through the Mail Order and Specialty Pharmacy.

How do I fill a prescription for a temperature sensitive medication overseas?

Temperature sensitive medications cannot be shipped overseas. You will need to purchase your prescription at a local pharmacy, pay out of pocket and then submit your receipt and a completed claim to receive reimbursement. Temperature sensitive drugs cannot be shipped overseas to any country, for these medications your Retail overseas cost share will apply.

Can an overseas pharmacy submit my prescriptions electronically?

No. Since there are no Preferred retail pharmacies located overseas, you will need to purchase your prescription and pay out of pocket, then submit your receipt and a completed claim to receive reimbursement. You can file your overseas claim by completing your Retail Prescription Drug Overseas Claim Form online by logging onto your MyBlue account or by mailing or faxing in your claim.

* Note for Guam, Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands : Guam, Puerto Rico & U.S. Virgin Islands are considered overseas, however some pharmacies may be able to bill electronically.

My claim is also covered by another carrier, so will you coordinate my prescription benefits?

No. We do not coordinate benefits on overseas claims. We provide reimbursement based off of the cost submitted.

Can you direct deposit my reimbursement?

We are unable to provide direct deposit reimbursement. Reimbursement will be in the form of a paper check in U.S. currency and mailed to the address provided on your Retail Prescription Drug Overseas Claim Form.

Can I use my Specialty Pharmacy Program benefit overseas?

You can order prescription drugs through the Specialty Drug Pharmacy Program if:

• Delivery of the prescription is permitted by law and is in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. Temperature sensitive drugs cannot be shipped overseas, for these medications your Retail overseas cost share will apply.

We suggest you contact CVS Specialty directly to ensure your specific drug can be mailed overseas. You may contact them by calling 1-888-346-3731 or by writing to them at:

CVS Specialty Service Benefit Plan Specialty Pharmacy Program P.O. Box 52080 Phoenix, AZ 85072-2080

You may be eligible for an extended filling of the prescription from CVS Specialty while overseas or before going overseas, so you may also want to discuss this with the pharmacy. Please note this will require a prescription from your doctor for 12 months and is not applicable for controlled substances.

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TSA and AFGE Reach New Collective Bargaining Agreement

WASHINGTON — TSA has reached a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which will take effect on May 24. The new agreement will provide benefits for all TSA bargaining unit employees comprised of non-supervisory screening officers. AFGE approved the agreement through the ratification process followed by Agency Head Approval and reflects the expanded scope of bargaining permitted under the 2022 Determination on Transportation Security Officers and Collective Bargaining .

“Since joining TSA in 2017, my paramount focus at TSA has been supporting the dedicated professionals who ensure the security of our transportation systems every day,” said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. “I extend sincere appreciation to the collective bargaining teams from TSA and AFGE for their unwavering commitment and diligence throughout the negotiation process. I look forward to our ongoing partnership as we implement this expanded new CBA.”

For the first time, the two parties agreed upon a range of topics that more closely mirror what is negotiated at other federal agencies. This included expanding upon existing articles in the current CBA and adding new topics that had not been previously addressed, such as grievance and arbitration processes, procedures for impact and implementation bargaining at the national level, local bargaining consistent with the 2022 Determination, official time, and bargaining unit employee rights and union rights.

The new CBA also includes the following benefits for bargaining unit employees:

• enhanced shift trade options to assist Transportation Security Officers who need to take unscheduled leave;
• increased allowance for uniforms;
• continuation of full parking subsidies;
• a national Childcare Working Group to explore potential options to make childcare more affordable for bargaining unit employees; and
• the addition of parental bereavement leave and weather and safety leave to the CBA.

The new CBA expands upon prior CBAs and more than doubles the number of articles compared to the current agreement from 15 to 37. This new CBA also has the longest duration of any TSA-AFGE CBA at seven years. While the new CBA contains more bargaining unit employee and union rights than previous CBAs, it also maintains the flexibility necessary to carry out TSA’s security mission.

TSA and AFGE engaged in CBA negotiations from June 2023 to March 2024. As part of the agreement, TSA and AFGE each may reopen up to three articles for negotiations during the middle of the CBA’s duration at the three-and-a-half-year mark.

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What the F.A.A. Bill Means for Travelers

The legislation, which funds federal aviation programs for the next five years, cements new passenger protections, adds new routes and lets the T.S.A. continue to expand facial recognition programs. Here’s what you need to know.

By Christine Chung

Automatic refunds for significant flight disruptions, fee-free family seating and accessibility improvements.

Those are among the benefits for travelers in the bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration for five more years, which Congress passed on Wednesday. After months of back and forth, and several short-term extensions, it will now head to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

The F.A.A. oversees all plane traffic in the United States, and the bill, which Mr. Biden has signaled he will sign, grants $105 billion to the agency and $738 million to the National Transportation Safety Board. In addition to strengthening passenger protections, it will pay for airport infrastructure, salaries and safety programs, and take aim at the air traffic controller shortage.

Geoff Freeman, the president and chief executive of the U.S. Travel Association , called the renewal “a big step toward vastly improving the travel experience.”

“Measures in the bill will address delays and cancellations and other travel hassles by modernizing airport technology, boosting the air traffic control work force and investing in additional improvements to our nation’s airports and air travel system,” he added.

Here are some of the bill’s highlights for travelers.

Automatic refunds: The bill codifies the Department of Transportation’s rule on automatic refunds for passengers when a flight is significantly delayed or canceled (beyond three hours for a domestic flight and six hours for an international flight). Customers will not need to request these refunds. And airline credits must be valid for five years.

Biometrics at airport security: Despite efforts in the Senate to pause the Transportation Security Administration’s facial recognition program , the amendment didn’t make it into the final bill. The T.S.A. plans to expand the use of facial recognition technology at hundreds of airports throughout the United States.

More round-trip flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: There will be an additional five long-haul round-trip flights a day at Reagan National Airport, a topic of intense debate during the bill’s negotiation. Opponents said the already busy airport could not support additional flights.

Fee-free family seating: Airlines cannot charge families with young children extra fees so that they can sit together. The bill also says the Transportation Department must create a dashboard comparing minimum seat sizes on U.S. carriers.

Penalties for airline violations: The Transportation Department’s civil penalty for consumer violations will triple to $75,000, from $25,000, per violation.

Accessibility for travelers with disabilities: The bill requires airline personnel to be trained in handling motorized wheelchairs, allows travelers to request seating to better accommodate their disabilities and will establish a new F.A.A. program dedicated to accessibility upgrades at commercial airports.

Air traffic control : Amid an ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers there has been an increase in near collisions and other safety incidents. The bill includes measures such as setting goals to maximize the hiring of new controllers and increasing access to advanced air traffic control tower simulation training.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

The Alaska Highway:  On an epic road trip, a family plots a course from Alaska to the Lower 48, passing through some of Canada’s most spectacular scenery .

Minorca:  Spend 36 hours on this slow-paced Spanish island , which offers a quieter and wilder retreat than its more touristy neighbors.

Japan:  A new high-speed train stop unlocks Kaga, a destination for hot springs, nourishing food and traditional crafts , as an easy-to-reach getaway from Tokyo.

London:  The Victoria and Albert Museum is a treasure trove of art and design. Here’s one besotted visitor’s plan for taking it all in .

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TSA, AFGE see milestone contract as ‘pivot point’ for frontline workforce

After signing a seven-year contract with TSA, AFGE leaders are now looking to get Title 5 rights cemented in law for tens of thousands of TSA employees.

There’s a new tone for the workforce at the Transportation Security Administration after the agency solidified a milestone labor agreement with the American Federation of Government Employees.

Leaders at TSA and AFGE signed off on a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement (CBA) Thursday afternoon, covering some 42,000 transportation security officers working in airports across the country. The agency and labor officials penned the document at a signing ceremony at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York.

The new CBA replaces a previous and relatively limited labor-management agreement between the two parties. It also comes after TSA employees recently received , and later maintained , a substantial pay increase. Prior to those changes, the agency was struggling significantly with staff recruitment and retention.

“If we didn’t have this CBA, if we didn’t have this pay package, I would submit to you, we probably wouldn’t have a TSA in five or 10 years,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said at Thursday’s signing ceremony. “That’s how important it is.”

         Join Federal News Network and NARFE in thanking the dedicated federal employees and contractors who work tirelessly day in and day out in their efforts to serve our communities. Send an e-card today!

The pay raises, which in some cases resulted in 31% salary boosts, brought TSA pay in line with the rest of the federal government. As a result, the agency is already reporting more interest in job openings, and drastically reduced attrition rates. In April, Pekoske told House lawmakers that staff attrition has fallen by 9% since the historic pay raises last year. TSA’s fiscal 2025 budget request includes funding to continue the raise, as well as provide more career development opportunities for agency employees.

Under the new agreement, transportation security officers will see a streamlined process for grievance and arbitration, expanded official time, fewer restrictions on sick leave, increased uniform allowances and opportunities for local collective bargaining. The new CBA expands the previous agreement from 14 articles, now to 37.

“These changes make TSA a place where Americans want to work,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said at Wednesday’s signing ceremony. “It makes the TSA a place where anybody will want to come to work and feel like they are part of the team.”

At Thursday’s event, Pekoske told reporters that the latest Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) results showed the highest ever engagement and satisfaction in the agency’s history. Pekoske added that he hopes the new contract will set the stage for an even better labor-management relationship moving forward.

“I think what we ought to be thinking about is, where can we go from here? How can we continue this pivot to make sure that as an agency, every single one of us has a commitment to our people?” Pekoske said. “We should use [the CBA] as a pivot point to even greater relationships amongst all of us together.”

The agreement is a milestone for the agency, especially to employees who have been working at TSA for many years, and who have experienced a slow yet major shift in the ability for workers to organize.

“When I first started at the agency, we weren’t even allowed to join the union, much less bargain with the agency,” Mac Johnson, vice president of AFGE Council 100, said Thursday. “It took until 2007 for us to be able to join AFGE, and we weren’t even able to sit down at the table with TSA until 2011. This contract is the first one to be bargained with similar rights to Title 5. But our journey isn’t complete yet.”

Title 5 is the personnel system that sets pay, benefits and performance standards for the vast majority of federal employees. When Congress created TSA in 2002, it excluded the agency’s employees from the General Schedule pay scale and other provisions of the Title 5 personnel system.

         Read more: Unions

In effect, the new collective bargaining agreement provides Title 5 protections to TSA workers, but AFGE leaders are already looking ahead to the next chapter. They are aiming to secure Title 5 rights for the long haul by putting Title 5 into law for TSA employees. That would cement many of the CBA’s new provisions, extending them beyond the seven years the contract will cover.

A new bicameral bill from Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) aims to accomplish just that. The Rights for the TSA Workforce Act , which the lawmakers introduced on May 14, would give all 60,000 TSA employees Title 5 protections. The legislation has gained both Democrat and Republican cosponsors.

In a video message at Thursday’s event, Thompson said the new collective bargaining agreement “will have a fundamental impact on TSA’s ability to recruit and maintain employees, and carry out its security mission,” but added that “there’s still work to be done. We need to ensure these improvements are made permanent in law so that no future administration can seek to undo them.”

Copyright © 2024 Federal News Network. All rights reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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Drew Friedman is a workforce, pay and benefits reporter for Federal News Network.

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Exploring Travel Benefits: Does Your Employer Cover Luggage Expenses?

• Last updated May 14, 2024
• Difficulty Intemediate

• Category Travel

When it comes to traveling for work, there are a lot of expenses to consider. From meals and accommodations to transportation costs, it can all add up quickly. But what about luggage expenses? Does your employer cover the cost of your suitcases and bags? In this article, we will explore the travel benefits that some companies offer their employees and whether or not luggage expenses are included. So if you're a frequent business traveler or just curious about what perks your company may offer, keep reading to find out if your luggage is covered.

What You'll Learn

Employer travel policies and luggage reimbursement, what expenses are typically covered by employers during travel, understanding reimbursement for luggage costs while traveling for work, factors that determine whether employers pay for employee luggage.

When it comes to work-related travel, many employees wonder whether their employer will cover the cost of their luggage. As with any travel expense, the answer varies depending on the employer's travel policies.

Some employers have strict policies that explicitly state they will reimburse employees for luggage expenses incurred during business trips. This means that if you need to bring additional luggage for work-related purposes, such as equipment or company materials, your employer will cover the cost.

However, other employers may not have a specific policy in place regarding luggage reimbursement. In these cases, it's important to communicate with your supervisor or HR department to determine if they are willing to cover the cost of your luggage. It may be helpful to present a clear justification for why the additional luggage is necessary for the business trip.

Moreover, some employers have limitations on the amount they are willing to reimburse for luggage expenses. They may have a maximum reimbursement limit or require employees to submit receipts for reimbursement. It's important to familiarize yourself with your employer's specific policies to avoid any surprises.

If your employer does not cover luggage expenses, you still have a few options. First, you could consider packing more efficiently to reduce the need for additional luggage. This might mean minimizing personal items or finding creative ways to pack everything you need into a carry-on bag.

Alternatively, you could negotiate with your employer for reimbursement or explore the possibility of using a company credit card to cover the cost of luggage. It's important to approach these conversations professionally and make a case for why the company should cover these expenses.

Ultimately, the responsibility of covering luggage expenses during work-related travel falls on the employer, but the specific policies and limitations can vary. It's essential to familiarize yourself with your employer's travel policies and communicate with your supervisor or HR department to understand what is covered and how to handle any additional expenses.

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When it comes to business travel, one of the common questions that employees have is whether their employer will cover the expenses related to luggage. While each company may have its own policies regarding reimbursement for travel expenses, there are some general guidelines that can help you understand what expenses are typically covered by employers during travel.

• Baggage fees: Many companies will reimburse their employees for baggage fees incurred during business travel. These fees can vary depending on the airline and the type of ticket purchased. It is important to keep all your receipts as proof of payment to ensure you receive reimbursement for these fees.
• Transportation: Employers typically cover the cost of transportation to and from the airport. This includes expenses such as taxi fares or shuttle services. It is important to check with your employer in advance to find out if they have preferred transportation options or pre-approved vendors.
• Accommodation: The cost of accommodation is another expense that employers commonly cover during business travel. This may include the cost of a hotel room, as well as any additional charges such as Wi-Fi or parking fees. It is important to book accommodations within the company's travel policy guidelines to ensure reimbursement.
• Meals: Most employers will reimburse employees for reasonable meal expenses incurred during business travel. This typically includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, some companies may have specific guidelines on the maximum amount that can be reimbursed per meal or per day, so it is important to adhere to these guidelines to avoid any potential out-of-pocket expenses.
• Incidentals: Incidentals, such as tips, internet charges, or phone calls, are often covered by employers during business travel. However, it is important to keep all receipts as proof of payment to ensure you can be reimbursed for these expenses.

It is worth noting that some companies may have specific travel policies that outline which expenses are covered, so it is important to review your employer's policy before traveling. Additionally, it is important to keep all receipts and documentation related to your travel expenses to ensure smooth reimbursement.

Overall, while employers typically cover a range of expenses during business travel, it is essential to familiarize yourself with your company's travel policy and guidelines to ensure that you are aware of what expenses are included. By doing so, you can navigate the reimbursement process and minimize any potential out-of-pocket expenses.

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If you frequently have to travel for work, you may wonder if your employer will cover the costs of your luggage. While policies can vary from company to company, it is helpful to have a general understanding of reimbursement for luggage costs while traveling for work.

Check Your Company’s Travel Policy:

The first step is to review your company's travel policy. This document should outline all the rules and regulations regarding business travel expenses, including luggage reimbursements. Look for information on whether your employer covers the cost of baggage fees or if there is a limit to the amount they will reimburse.

Understand What Expenses are Covered:

In many cases, companies will reimburse employees for reasonable and necessary expenses related to work travel. This may include luggage fees for checked bags, carry-on bags, and even oversized or overweight bags. However, it's important to note that some companies may have specific limits or restrictions on the types or number of bags that will be reimbursed.

Keep Track of Your Expenses:

To ensure you are reimbursed for your luggage costs, it's crucial to keep track of all your expenses. Save your receipts for luggage fees and any other travel-related expenses. It's also helpful to document the purpose of your travel and how it relates to your work. This information will be important when submitting your expense report.

Submitting Your Expense Report:

When it's time to submit your expense report, make sure you follow your company's guidelines and procedures. Include all necessary documentation, such as receipts, and provide a clear explanation of the expenses you are seeking reimbursement for. Be sure to adhere to any deadlines for submitting expense reports to ensure timely reimbursement.

Communicate with Your Employer:

If you have any questions or concerns about the reimbursement process or specific expenses, don't hesitate to reach out to your employer or the appropriate department within your company. They will be able to provide clarification on the policies and procedures in place for luggage reimbursement.

Plan Ahead for Future Trips:

To avoid any confusion or surprises, plan ahead for future trips by familiarizing yourself with your company's travel policy before you travel. This will help you understand what you can expect in terms of reimbursement for luggage costs and allow you to make informed decisions regarding your travel arrangements.

In conclusion, while each company may have its own policies regarding reimbursement for luggage costs, it is essential to review your company's travel policy to understand what expenses are covered. Keeping track of your expenses and following the proper procedures for submitting expense reports are key to ensuring you are reimbursed for your luggage costs while traveling for work. Lastly, open communication with your employer or the appropriate department can help address any questions or concerns you may have regarding reimbursement.

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Many employees are often required to travel for work purposes, whether it be for business meetings, conferences, or training sessions. When it comes to these work-related trips, one common question that arises is whether the employer should pay for the employee's luggage fees. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, there are several factors that can determine whether employers pay for employee luggage.

• Company Travel Policy: The first factor to consider is the company's travel policy. Some companies have a specific policy in place that explicitly states whether they will cover luggage fees for employees. This policy can vary from company to company, so it is important to familiarize yourself with your employer's specific guidelines.
• Travel Purpose: Another factor that can determine whether employers pay for employee luggage is the purpose of the travel. If the employee is traveling for a conference or a meeting that is directly related to their job role, it is more likely that the employer will cover the luggage fees. On the other hand, if the employee is traveling for personal reasons or for a non-work-related event, it is less likely that the employer will pay for the luggage.
• Travel Duration: The duration of the trip can also play a role in whether employers pay for employee luggage. If the trip is short-term, such as a one-day meeting or conference, the employer may not cover the luggage fees. However, for longer trips that span several days or weeks, it is more common for employers to cover the luggage expenses.
• Employee Level: The level of the employee within the company can also influence whether employers pay for employee luggage. Senior-level employees or executives may have different benefits and allowances compared to lower-level employees. It is important to understand the specific benefits and allowances that apply to your job role within the company.
• Pre-Approval: Some companies require employees to seek pre-approval for any travel-related expenses, including luggage fees. This means that employees need to submit a request or obtain permission from their manager or the appropriate department before incurring any expenses. Failure to obtain pre-approval may result in the employee having to pay for their own luggage fees.
• Travel Expense Policy: In addition to the company's travel policy, many organizations also have a travel expense policy in place. This policy outlines which travel-related expenses the company will cover and under what conditions. It is important to familiarize yourself with this policy to understand whether luggage fees are included.

It is important to note that even if your employer does not cover luggage fees, there may be other ways to get reimbursed for these expenses. Some employees choose to use personal travel reward credit cards or loyalty programs to accumulate points that can be redeemed for luggage fees or other travel expenses. It is always a good idea to check with your employer or the finance department to explore any available reimbursement options.

In conclusion, whether employers pay for employee luggage fees is dependent on several factors, including the company's travel policy, the purpose and duration of the trip, the employee's level within the organization, and any pre-approval requirements. Understanding these factors and communicating with your employer or the appropriate departments will help you determine whether you are eligible for reimbursement of luggage fees or if you need to cover these expenses yourself.

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Frequently asked questions.

It depends on your company's travel policy. Some companies may reimburse employees for luggage expenses, while others may not. It is recommended to consult with your HR department or refer to your company's travel guidelines for clarification.

To determine if your employer pays for luggage, you can review your company's travel policy documents or handbook. Alternatively, reach out to your HR department or supervisor for clarification on what expenses are covered during your work-related trips.

If your employer does not cover luggage expenses, you may need to bear the costs of your luggage yourself. In such cases, you could consider minimizing your luggage or opting for more budget-friendly luggage options to minimize expenses.

• Steffi Montoya Author Traveller

• Julia May Author Editor Reviewer Traveller

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Paid Parental Leave

Table of contents, introduction, key features of ppl.

• Employee Eligibility and Agency Responsibilities
• Definitions
• PPL Entitlement

Agency-Specific Policies and Procedures for Requesting PPL

• Documentation of Entitlement and Employee Certification
• Pay While Using PPL
• Work Obligation
• Multiple Children Born or Placed in the Same Time Period

Grievance Procedures

Other available leave options and work schedule flexibilities.

The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act ( Public Law 116-92 , December 20, 2019, as codified under the Family and Medical Leave Act provisions at 5 U.S.C. 6382 ) provides an employee with a qualifying birth or placement (for adoption or foster care) event an entitlement of up to 12 administrative workweeks of Paid Parental Leave (PPL), which may be substituted for unpaid leave taken under the title 5 Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) authority. The Act grants PPL in connection with a qualifying birth or placement that occurred on or after October 1, 2020.

PPL is a type of paid leave that is substituted for unpaid FMLA leave. Therefore, it is essential to read OPM’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 12-Week Entitlement fact sheet (FMLA fact sheet) in conjunction with this PPL fact sheet in order to understand the PPL entitlement, since all the provisions governing use of FMLA leave after a qualifying birth or placement apply to the use of PPL.

This fact sheet addresses the PPL entitlement for Federal employees covered by the FMLA provisions in title 5, United States Code (see 5 U.S.C. 6381-6387 ). OPM’s FMLA regulations are codified at 5 CFR part 630, subpart L , and OPM’s PPL regulations are codified at 5 CFR part 630, subpart Q .

Below are key features of the PPL authority. Further detailed information is contained in this fact sheet:

• An employee must meet all eligibility requirements for use of FMLA leave in order to use PPL because PPL is a type of paid leave substituted for unpaid FMLA leave. (See the Employee Eligibility and Agency Responsibilities section of OPM’s FMLA fact sheet for eligibility details. In particular, note that employees with a temporary appointment or an intermittent work schedule or who have fewer than 12 months of qualifying Federal service are not eligible for title 5 FMLA leave and thus are not eligible for PPL.)
• Eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 administrative workweeks of PPL per qualifying birth or placement as long as the employee maintains a parental role.
• PPL is a separate category of paid leave, distinct from an employee’s accrued sick leave or annual leave.
• PPL may only be used during the 12-month period following a qualifying birth or placement and only during periods when the employee is acting in a parental role with respect to the newly born or placed child.
• An employee may not receive a lump-sum payment for any unused or forfeited PPL under any circumstance, and the leave may not be saved for use for a future birth or placement.
• An employee may request to use FMLA leave with substitution of PPL intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule (that is, a schedule under which an employee works fewer hours due to increased use of leave). However, the employee may not use FMLA leave with substitution of PPL intermittently unless the agency agrees to such use—it is not an entitlement.
• Prior to using PPL, an employee must enter into a written agreement to complete a 12-week work obligation after use of PPL concludes.

Employee Eligibility and Agency Responsibilities ( 5 CFR 630.1201 and 5 CFR 630.1701 )

To be eligible for PPL under OPM’s title 5 PPL regulations in 5 CFR part 630, subpart Q , an employee must be eligible for FMLA leave under the title 5 FMLA authority and the implementing regulations in 5 CFR part 630, subpart L or, for certain agencies, the employing agency’s own regulations, as described in 5 CFR 630.1201(b)(3) . Please consult the Employee Eligibility and Agency Responsibilities portion of OPM’s FMLA fact sheet for full details concerning eligibility for FMLA leave.

In addition, the employee must have a qualifying birth or placement event—that is, the birth or placement (for adoption or foster care) of the employee’s child must occur on or after October 1, 2020. (This is a statutory requirement established by section 7602(c) of Public Law 116-92 .)

An employee may elect to substitute available PPL for any unpaid FMLA leave granted in connection with the occurrence of a birth or placement of a child for adoption or foster care. (See Substitution of Paid Leave for Unpaid FMLA Leave section of the FMLA fact sheet .) An employee who is ineligible for FMLA leave at the time of a qualifying birth or placement may establish FMLA leave eligibility during the 12-month period following the qualifying birth or placement and substitute PPL for available FMLA leave during that period. For example, an employee may become eligible for FMLA leave by completing the required 12 months of service for FMLA eligibility purposes or by changing to a qualifying work schedule or appointment for FMLA purposes. Once FMLA leave eligibility is established and FMLA leave is invoked, an employee may substitute PPL for available FMLA leave in connection with a qualifying birth or placement.

Example 1. An individual has no prior Federal civilian service. The employee was hired into a Federal civilian position on January 30, 2023, and had a baby on May 15, 2023. The employee meets the 12-month service requirement for FMLA/PPL purposes on January 29, 2024. The employee may use FMLA leave and substitute PPL for it from January 30, 2024 (the date the employee’s FMLA leave eligibility begins), until May 14, 2024, the date that is the end of the 12-month period following the baby’s birth, since FMLA/PPL may only be used in the 12-month period following the birth of a son or daughter.

Example 2. An employee has worked for an agency for several years on an intermittent work schedule and is therefore not eligible for FMLA/PPL even though the employee has 12 months of qualifying Federal service. A son is placed with the employee for adoption on November 10, 2023. On March 25, 2024, the employee is placed on a part-time work schedule and immediately becomes eligible for FMLA/PPL. The employee may use FMLA leave and substitute PPL for it from March 25, 2024, (the date the employee’s FMLA leave eligibility begins), until November 9, 2024, (the date that is the end of the 12-month period following placement of the child with the employee for adoption) since FMLA/PPL may only be used in the 12-month period following the placement of a son or daughter with an employee for adoption.

The time periods during which PPL may be substituted for FMLA leave are discussed in more detail later in this fact sheet. See also these sections of the FMLA fact sheet : 12-Month FMLA Period and Timeframe for Use of FMLA and Paid Parental (PPL) Related to Birth or Placement of a Child.

Definitions ( 5 CFR 630.1202 and 5 CFR 630.1702 )

The definitions of the terms applicable to the PPL entitlement are found in the PPL and FMLA regulations in 5 CFR 630, subpart Q and subpart L , respectively (see the hotlinks above). Some definitions in the FMLA regulations are applicable to the PPL entitlement. In addition to the two definitions below, please see OPM’s FMLA fact sheet for the summarized definitions of other terms applicable to use of PPL under FMLA (to include “birth”, “in loco parentis”, “intermittent leave or leave taken intermittently”, “parent”, “placement”, “reduced leave schedule”, and “son or daughter”). Please note that the PPL regulations generally use the term “child ” in place of the synonymous term “son or daughter”. The two definitions below are from the PPL regulations and have been summarized. For the full definitions of these and other terms, see the link to the regulations above.

Birth or placement means the birth of a son or daughter (child) of a covered employee, or a new placement of a son or daughter (child) with a covered employee for adoption or foster care, that is the basis for unpaid FMLA leave granted under the title 5 FMLA authority for birth or placement purposes. For the purpose of interpreting this definition, the terms “birth” and “placement” have the meaning given those terms in the title 5 FMLA regulations, except that PPL may not be granted based on an anticipated birth or placement.

Please also see the definition of “placement” in our FMLA fact sheet. Note that only a new placement of a son or daughter with an employee entitles an employee to use FMLA/PPL under the definitions of “placement” and “birth or placement”. Thus, the terms “placement” and “birth or placement” exclude the adoption of a stepchild or a foster child who has already been a member of the employee’s household and has an existing parent-child relationship with an adopting parent. If an employee later adopts a child who was placed with the employee for foster care, the placement had already occurred; there is no new placement with the employee that would entitle the employee to use of FMLA/PPL when the employee adopts the child. If an employee is pursuing adoption of a child the employee is fostering, the employee may invoke and use FMLA/PPL in the 12-month period following the new placement of the child with the employee for foster care purposes, before the entitlement expires.

Paid parental leave means paid time off from an employee's scheduled tour of duty that is authorized under the title 5 FMLA and PPL authorities and that is granted to cover periods of time within the 12-month period commencing on the date of birth or placement to an employee who has a current parental role in connection with the child whose birth or placement was the basis for granting unpaid FMLA leave under the FMLA regulations for birth or placement purposes. This leave is not available to an employee who does not have a current parental role.

PPL Entitlement ( 5 CFR 630.1703 )

The entitlement to PPL is triggered by the occurrence of a birth or placement, which results in the employee having a parental role, therefore PPL may only be used after the birth or placement has occurred.

Eligible employees are entitled to up to 12 administrative workweeks of PPL per qualifying birth or placement as long as the employee maintains a parental role (see section on Parental Role below for further discussion). An employee must invoke FMLA and elect to substitute PPL for any unpaid FMLA leave granted based on the occurrence of a birth or placement (for adoption or foster care) event. (See Substitution of Paid Leave for Unpaid FMLA Leave section of the FMLA fact sheet for further information.)

12-Month FMLA Period

An employee may only use PPL by substituting it for unpaid FMLA leave. Under FMLA, there is a 12-month period in which an employee may use 12 weeks of FMLA leave. An employee’s 12-month FMLA period (that is, the timeframe during which the employee may use the 12 weeks of FMLA leave) begins on the date the employee first takes FMLA leave and continues for a 12-month period from the date of first usage. An employee is not entitled to 12 additional workweeks of FMLA leave until the previous 12-month period ends and an event or situation occurs that entitles the employee to another period of FMLA leave. (See the 12-Month FMLA Period section of the FMLA fact sheet for more details and an example.) Thus, the amount of PPL that may be used can be affected by any previous usage of FMLA leave.

For example, if an employee uses 6 consecutive weeks of unpaid FMLA leave based on the employee’s own serious health condition, the employee could only use 6 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave based on birth or placement (for which paid parental leave could be substituted) during the 12-month period that began when the employee commenced using unpaid FMLA leave based on the employee’s serious health condition.

Timeframe for Use of PPL (PPL 12-Month Period)

An employee who takes FMLA leave for the birth of a child or the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care has up to a year following the birth or placement to use the FMLA leave. The statute provides that entitlement to FMLA leave for birth or placement purposes expires at the end of the 12-month period beginning on the date of the birth or placement. Therefore PPL, which must be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave for birth or placement purposes, may be used only during the 12-month period beginning on the date of birth or placement. (Note that FMLA leave for birth or placement purposes may be taken prior to the birth or placement event, but PPL may be used only after the birth or placement of child.) Since this restriction is set in statute, it cannot be extended for any reason. For example, no extension can be granted if an employee is placed in furlough status or if an employee’s civilian employment status is interrupted in order to perform military service. (See Timeframe for Use of FMLA and Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Related to Birth or Placement of a Child section of the FMLA fact sheet for further discussion and examples.)

• Employees may use PPL only for periods within their scheduled tour of duty established for leave-charging purposes. Most full-time employees have a 40-hour weekly or 80-hour biweekly tour of duty for leave-charging purposes.
• If an employee has any unused balance of PPL remaining at the end of the 12-month FMLA period following the birth or placement involved, the entitlement to the unused PPL expires at that time. Unused PPL may not be rolled over for use in a future period, nor may a payment be made to the employee for unused PPL that has expired. PPL may not be considered annual leave for purposes of making a lump-sum payment for annual leave or for any other purpose.

PPL may be used only by substituting it for unpaid FMLA leave based on the birth or placement of a child. As described in the FMLA regulations at 5 CFR 630.1203(e)(1) , FMLA leave “is not applied to days designated as holidays and other nonworkdays when the employee would be excused from duty.” Because FMLA leave may not be used on holidays, PPL may not be used to cover such time. Note that an employee is paid for a holiday if the employee is in pay status either before or after a holiday. If an employee uses PPL (or is in pay status for any reason) either before or after a holiday, the employee will receive pay for the holiday. For additional information on holidays, see OPM’s Federal Holidays – Work Schedules and Pay fact sheet.

Usage of Other Forms of Paid Leave in Connection with PPL

Agencies may not require employees to use any annual or sick leave to the employee’s credit before the employee uses PPL.

An employee does not have to invoke FMLA/PPL in order to be absent from work for childbirth and placement for adoption or foster care purposes. Employees may request to use annual or sick leave without invoking their entitlement to unpaid FMLA leave. By requesting to use annual or sick leave without invoking FMLA leave, an employee can preserve entitlement to use unpaid FMLA leave with substitution of PPL at another time.

For example, an employee who gives birth to a child has an entitlement to use sick leave for the post-birth recovery period. By using sick leave to cover the post-birth recovery period, the employee would preserve the ability to invoke FMLA leave and substitute the 12 weeks of PPL at a later time (up to 1 year following birth), thus extending the time the employee can spend with the newly born child.

When an employee requests sick or annual leave without invoking FMLA, the agency retains its normal authority to approve or disapprove the use and timing for use of the leave. See the Use of Paid Leave Outside of FMLA section of OPM’s FMLA fact sheet and OPM’s Leave fact sheets for further discussion and additional information.

PPL Entitlement for Employees Who Move Between Agencies During PPL Eligibility

The 12-week entitlement to PPL is applied to each employee without regard to movements between different agencies during the 12-month period following a birth or placement. As long as the employee is covered by the title 5 FMLA leave and paid parental leave provisions while serving in different agencies, the employee would be limited to a total of 12 weeks of paid parental leave per qualifying birth or placement during the 12-month period following the birth or placement.

An employee who transfers to another agency with a positive balance of PPL during the 12-month period following a qualifying birth or placement is entitled to continue to use any remaining PPL at the gaining agency. The employee must request the use of PPL under the gaining agency’s PPL leave requesting procedures.

For example, a covered employee employed by the Social Security Administration gives birth to a daughter on February 23, 2024, invokes FMLA, and substitutes 8 weeks of PPL for unpaid FMLA leave from February 23, 2024, to April 19, 2024. The employee then transfers to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and immediately invokes FMLA at the VA. The employee may use 4 weeks of FMLA/PPL at the VA from April 22, 2024, to May 17, 2024. If an employee has received PPL benefits in connection with a given birth or placement under a different PPL authority applicable to Federal employees (for example, the PPL benefit for legislative branch employees in 2 U.S.C. 1312), and moves to a position covered by the title 5 PPL authority during the 12-month period following birth or placement, or returns from active duty after receipt of Military Parental Leave, there is no basis for limiting or offsetting title 5 PPL benefits based on receipt of parental leave benefits under another authority.

An employee who separates from Federal service with a positive balance of PPL and later returns to an agency subject to OPM’s title 5 leave authorities during the 12-month period following a qualifying birth or placement is entitled to use any remaining PPL.

Married Employees Employed by Same Agency

Each parent-employee has a separate entitlement to 12 weeks of FMLA leave in a 12-month period based on the birth or placement of a child for which PPL may be substituted—whether they work for the same office or agency or in separate agencies. Covered Federal employees who are spouses and have a child born or placed with them are not limited to a combined total of 12 weeks of PPL in connection with that child. (Such a limitation does apply to use of FMLA leave under DOL FMLA regulations.  Agencies whose employees are subject to OPM’s FMLA regulations must follow OPM’s, not DOL’s, FMLA regulations.)

Implications of Previous FMLA Use on Timeframe for Use of PPL

Below are two examples that show how a previous use of FMLA leave may affect the timing of an employee’s use of PPL:

  First FMLA event: Use of FMLA leave for serious health condition of a parent

• June 1, 2021, the employee invokes and begins use of FMLA leave for the serious health condition of the employee’s parent.
• 12-month FMLA period: June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022.
• The employee uses 5 of the 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave to which the employee is entitled in June and July 2021. The employee may substitute annual leave and/or sick leave for the unpaid FMLA leave taken for this FMLA event. (See the Substitution of Paid Leave for Unpaid FMLA Leave section of the FMLA fact sheet for more information on the types of annual and sick leave that may be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave.)

Second FMLA event: Use of FMLA leave and PPL for birth of a child

• October 15, 2021, the birth of the employee’s child.
• The employee’s entitlement to FMLA leave for the birth of the child expires on October 14, 2022 (the date that is the end of the 12-month period following the birth), and any FMLA leave for birth must be taken by this date. (For further discussion, see Timeframe for Use of FMLA and Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Related to Birth or Placement of a Child (Birth or Placement Period) section of the FMLA fact sheet .)
• Unpaid FMLA leave available for use: At the time of the child’s birth, the employee has 7 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave available for use until the end of the employee’s current 12-month FMLA period on May 31, 2022, as the employee previously used 5 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave during the 12-month FMLA period that runs from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022.
• Substitution of PPL: The employee may only substitute 7 weeks of PPL for unpaid FMLA leave due to the birth of the child during the 12-month FMLA period from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022. No further unpaid FMLA leave is available until June 1, 2022. The employee substitutes 7 weeks of PPL for FMLA leave from October 15, 2021, to December 7, 2021 (no FMLA/PPL is used on the Columbus Day, Veterans Day, or Thanksgiving Day holidays).
• After the conclusion of the 12-month FMLA period on May 31, 2022, that began with the employee’s use of FMLA leave for the parent’s serious health condition, the employee may again invoke FMLA. Since the employee is still within the 12-month period following the birth of a child on October 15, 2021, the employee is eligible to use FMLA leave based on the birth of a child and may invoke FMLA leave again. Since FMLA/PPL must be used within 1 year of a child’s birth, the employee’s use of FMLA leave for birth must conclude by October 14, 2022. Therefore, the employee has from June 1, 2022, to October 14, 2022, to invoke FMLA and begin a new 12-month FMLA period and then use any remaining PPL by substituting it for FMLA leave for birth purposes. Since the employee had used 7 weeks of PPL during the first 12-month FMLA period that ended on May 31, 2022, the employee has 5 weeks of PPL remaining, which can be used during the second 12-month FMLA period, but no later than October 14, 2022.
• The employee invokes FMLA, commences a second 12-month FMLA period, and substitutes 5 weeks of PPL for unpaid FMLA leave on an intermittent basis (as approved by the employing agency) during the period of June 1, 2022, to October 14, 2022.
• Summary of PPL usage:
• 7 weeks of PPL used from October 15, 2021 (date of birth of the child) through December 7, 2021. The employee is unable to use more PPL until after the first 12-month FMLA period ends on May 31, 2022.
• 5 weeks of PPL used within the timeframe from June 1, 2022 (the first date the employee could begin a new 12-month FMLA period), through October 14, 2022 (12 months after the birth of the child).

First FMLA event: Use of FMLA leave for serious health condition of a parent

• The employee uses 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave from June 1, 2021, to August 25, 2021 (no FMLA leave is used on the Juneteenth or Independence Day holidays). The employee may substitute annual leave and/or sick leave for the unpaid FMLA leave taken for this FMLA event. (See the Substitution of Paid Leave for Unpaid FMLA Leave section of the FMLA fact sheet for more information on the types of annual and sick leave that may be substituted for unpaid FMLA leave.)
• The employee’s entitlement to FMLA leave for the birth of the child expires on October 14, 2022 (the end date of the 12-month period following the birth) and any FMLA leave for birth must be taken by this date. (For further discussion, see “Timeframe for Use of FMLA and Paid Parental Leave (PPL) Related to Birth or Placement of a Child section of the FMLA fact sheet .)
• Although the birth of the child is a FMLA-qualifying event, there is no FMLA leave available for the employee to use since the employee exhausted the entitlement to 12 weeks of FMLA leave in a 12-month period by using FMLA leave for the parent’s serious health condition from June 1, 2021, to August 25, 2021. The employee must wait until June 1, 2022 (the first day after the expiration of the previous 12-month FMLA period), to again be able to use FMLA leave.
• On June 1, 2022, the employee invokes the use of FMLA based on the birth of a child (which occurred on October 15, 2021). Since FMLA/PPL must be used within 1 year of a child’s birth, the employee’s use of FMLA leave for birth must conclude by October 14, 2022. Therefore, the employee has from June 1, 2022, to October 14, 2022, to invoke FMLA again and begin a new 12-month FMLA period and substitute 12 weeks of PPL for any unpaid FMLA leave taken for birth purposes. Since the employee had used 0 weeks of PPL during the first 12-month FMLA period that ended on May 31, 2022, the employee has 12 weeks of PPL still available, which can be used during the second 12-month FMLA period, but no later than October 14, 2022.
• The employee invokes FMLA, commences a new 12-month FMLA period, and uses 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave for birth purposes during the period of June 1, 2022, to August 26, 2022, and substitutes PPL for that FMLA leave (no FMLA/PPL is used on the Juneteenth or Independence Day holidays).

In both examples, the employee is able to use the full 12 weeks of PPL for the birth of the employee’s child. However, the timing of when the employee could use PPL was affected by the previous usage of FMLA leave for another FMLA-qualifying purpose.

Seasonal Work Schedules

Employees with a seasonal work schedule may not use PPL during the off-season period designated by their agency, during which the employee is released from work and placed in a non-duty/non-pay status. The purpose of leave is to excuse an employee from the employee’s tour of duty. When an employee is in the off season, there is no tour of duty from which the employee needs to be excused.

Parental Role

The definition of “paid parental leave” makes clear that PPL is a type of leave that is used after an employee assumes a “parental” role for a child following the birth of the employee’s child or placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care. The purpose of PPL is for the employee to assume a parental role with respect to a child and to care for and bond with the child. Therefore, PPL is available only if the employee has a continuing parental role with respect to the child whose birth or placement triggered the leave entitlement—in other words, the employee must be engaged in activities directly related to the care of the child. PPL can be used during short periods away from the child’s physical presence to support the care of the child, such as:

• Staying with a child in the hospital immediately after the birth of a child when the employee may not be involved in direct care of the child;
• Visiting the child in the hospital immediately after the birth of a child;
• Making necessary preparation to bring the child home after being discharged from the hospital; and
• Engaged in periods away from the child to buy baby food, diapers, or other supplies.

Unpaid FMLA leave for birth purposes, for which PPL can be substituted, is generally used to cover periods when the employee is in the hospital or the home with the child or is otherwise involved in spending time with the child (bonding).

However, it would not be appropriate to take unpaid FMLA leave and substitute PPL if an employee is not engaged in activities directly connected to care of the child or if the employee is outside the local geographic area where the child is located. For example, while an employee may not reside in the same home as the employee’s newly born or placed child, the employee could receive unpaid FMLA leave and associated PPL during the care activities described in this paragraph or when otherwise spending time bonding with the child. By contrast, when an employee is away from the child and is not engaging in care activities or bonding with the child—such as an employee on active duty military—an employee is not eligible for FMLA/PPL. In addition, PPL is not included in the types of paid time off an employee may use under 5 CFR 353.208 during a period of uniformed service.

A parent-employee who does not maintain a continuing parental role with respect to a newly born or placed child would not be eligible for PPL once the parental role has ended. An employee may only use PPL until the parental role ends. For example, an employee’s parental role would end in the following circumstances:

• the employee surrenders custody of a child under a surrogacy agreement;
• the employee gives the child up for adoption;
• the employee’s parental rights to the child are terminated (for example, based on a court order due to unfitness); or

An employee whose child dies during the 12-month period following birth or placement does not have a continuing parental role can use other types of paid leave (for example, bereavement leave, sick leave, annual leave, donated annual leave under a leave sharing program, etc.) or leave without pay, including FMLA leave without pay, after the child’s death. These leave options are discussed in the Handbook on Leave and Workplace Flexibilities for Childbirth, Adoption, and Foster Care . See also our Leave Fact Sheets .

Conversion of PPL to hours or days

Qualified employees are entitled to 12 workweeks of PPL, which may be substituted for available unpaid FMLA leave. This time must be converted to hours or days, as appropriate, with any necessary adjustments being made based on an employee’s tour of duty, as described below.

Regular full-time employees with 80 hours in their scheduled biweekly tour of duty will receive 480 hours of PPL (12 weeks times 40 hours/week or 6 biweekly pay periods times 80 hours equals 480 hours).

The conversion formula for part-time employees is derived by multiplying 6 times the number of hours in the employee’s biweekly scheduled tour of duty. For example, an employee who works 40 hours in a biweekly pay period would receive 240 hours of PPL (6 biweekly pay periods times 40 hours/pay period equals 240 hours).

The conversion formula for employees with an uncommon tour of duty (as defined in 5 CFR 630.201 and described in 5 CFR 630.210 ) is derived by multiplying 6 times the number of hours in the employee’s biweekly scheduled tour of duty (or 6 times the average hours if the biweekly tour hours vary over an established cycle). For example, if an employee has an uncommon tour consisting of six 24-hours shifts (144 hours) per biweekly pay period, the employee would receive 864 hours of PPL (6 times 144 hours/pay period equals 864 hours).

The conversion formula for employees who are charged leave on a daily basis is derived based on the average number of workdays in the employee’s established tour of duty over a biweekly pay period. For example, if an employee’s tour of duty consists of 8 workdays per biweekly pay period, the employee would receive 48 days of PPL (6 biweekly pay periods times 8 workdays equals 48 days).

Conversion Due to Change in Tour of Duty

If there is a change in an employee’s scheduled tour of duty during any 12-month period that began on the date of a given birth or placement, and the employee has not used the full 12 weeks of PPL during that 12-month period, the remaining balance of PPL must be recalculated based on the change in the number of average hours in the employee’s scheduled tour of duty.

For example, if a regular full-time employee has a balance of 120 hours of unused PPL for a 12-month period that is in progress and then converts to a part-time schedule of 40 hours per biweekly pay period, the balance would be recalculated to be 60 hours. (Since the old schedule was 80 hours biweekly, the new part-time tour is half of the former full-time tour. 40/80 times 120 equals 60 hours.)

Cases of Guardianship and Custody

Employees who receive guardianship or custody of a child often wish to know whether custody or guardianship of a child is qualifying for FMLA leave with substitution of PPL. Under the FMLA statute at 5 U.S.C. 6382(a)(1)(A) and (B) , an employee is entitled to 12 administrative workweeks of unpaid FMLA leave for birth or placement purposes “[b]ecause of the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and in order to care for such son or daughter” or “[b]ecause of the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care.” After a qualifying birth or placement, an employee may then substitute PPL for unpaid FMLA leave per the statute at 5 U.S.C. 6382(d)(2) . Since guardianship or custody are not included as bases for entitlement to FMLA leave in 5 U.S.C. 6382 , custody or guardianship of a child would generally not entitle an employee to FMLA leave with substitution of PPL.

However, there are a few limited circumstances under which an employee would be entitled to FMLA leave and to substitution of PPL when a child is placed with the employee for custody or guardianship (see below).

Custody or Guardianship of a Child under the Age of 12 Months

If an employee receives custody or guardianship of a newborn (that is, within the 1-year period following the baby’s birth), the employee would be standing “in loco parentis” to the infant, who would be considered the “son or daughter” of the employee (see the FMLA fact sheet for these two definitions). Because the infant is the “son or daughter” of the employee for purposes of FMLA, the employee would be entitled to unpaid FMLA leave with substitution of PPL for the unpaid leave because of the birth of the son or daughter and the care of the son or daughter until the end of the 12-month period following the infant’s birth.

For example, an employee is called by police to take the employee’s infant grandchild because the baby’s parent has been arrested. As long as the employee is standing in loco parentis to the infant, the employee would be entitled to take unpaid FMLA leave with substitution of PPL until the date that is 12 months from the infant’s date of birth.

Custody or Guardianship of a Child over the Age of 12 Months

If an employee receives custody or guardianship of a child over the age of 12 months, different rules would apply. There are situations where an employee may not have been planning on becoming an adoptive or foster parent, but the employee suddenly takes on care of a child, perhaps because of an emergency. The employee may take custody or assume guardianship of the child.

In situations where there is a new placement of a child over the age of 12 months with an employee and the employee is working towards becoming the child’s foster or adoptive parent but has not yet become the official foster or adoptive parent, the child would be viewed as being placed with the employee for foster care or adoption purposes.  In this situation, the employee would be eligible for unpaid FMLA leave during the 12-month period following the placement and the employee could substitute PPL for that leave. However, if the child has already been living with the employee and the employee is granted custody or guardianship of the child, the arrangement does not constitute a new placement of the child, and the arrangement would not qualify for FMLA leave with substitution of PPL.  In another example, if a child is placed with the employee for custody or guardianship purposes and the employee is not working towards becoming the child’s official foster or adoptive parent, the arrangement would not qualify for FMLA leave with substitution of PPL because the placement is not for foster care or adoption purposes.

For example, the niece and nephew of an employee are suddenly placed with the employee for custody after both parents of the children and an additional sibling are killed in a car accident. The employee begins the process of pursuing adoption of the niece and nephew. Since the employee is working towards adopting the niece and nephew, the employee would be entitled to unpaid FMLA leave with substitution of PPL because this new placement can be considered a placement with the employee for adoption purposes.

Since entitlement to FMLA leave and PPL in such situations is very fact specific, agencies should examine each situation on a case-by-case basis. We strongly encourage agencies to obtain all the relevant facts pertaining to employees’ requests for FMLA leave and PPL under such circumstances since employees may not know what information they need to provide in order for the agency to make a determination as to whether FMLA leave and PPL are available. For example, an employee may request FMLA/PPL based on receiving custody or guardianship of a child but may not realize the importance of also sharing that they are pursuing foster care or adoption of the child and the impact of these facts on their FMLA/PPL entitlement. The agency may request any necessary documentation to support the employee’s request for FMLA leave with substitution of PPL under such circumstances.

Within the framework of law and regulations, each agency sets its own policies and procedures related to the use of PPL at that agency—via management directive and/or collective bargaining agreement, as applicable. Therefore, employees should consult with their servicing human resources (HR) office for information on the agency’s policies and the process for requesting PPL, including any forms that must be completed and any supporting documentation the agency requires. The employee’s servicing HR office will need to verify the employee’s FMLA eligibility and available unpaid FMLA leave for which PPL may be substituted.

Documentation of Entitlement and Employee Certification ( 5 CFR 630.1703 )

Supporting documentation.

Agencies may require their employees to provide appropriate documentation showing that the employee’s use of PPL is directly connected to a birth or placement that has occurred. Appropriate documentation may include, but is not limited to, a birth certificate or a document from an adoption or foster care agency regarding the placement. An agency is responsible for determining what documentation is sufficient proof of entitlement.

Employee Certification

Agencies may also require that an employee sign a certification attesting that the PPL is being taken in connection with a birth or placement. This certification may include a statement in which the employee acknowledges an understanding of the consequences of providing a false certification (for example, the possibility that the employing agency could pursue appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including removal from Federal Service, or make a referral to a Federal entity that investigates whether conduct constitutes a criminal violation).

Supporting Documentation and Certification Deadlines

An employee must provide any such requested documentation or certification no later than 15 calendar days after the agency’s request. If this is not practicable under the particular circumstances, despite the employee’s diligent, good faith efforts, the employee must provide it within a reasonable period of time (but no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the agency’s original request).

Provisional Use of PPL

An agency may provisionally grant PPL prior to receiving any requested documentation or certification based on an employee’s communications with a supervisor or management. If the employee fails to provide the agency with the required documentation or certification within the specified time period, the agency may determine that the employee is not entitled to paid parental leave and may—

• allow the employee to request that the absence covered by the PPL be charged to leave without pay, sick leave, annual leave, or other forms of paid time off, as appropriate; or
• charge the employee as absent without leave (AWOL) and pursue any other appropriate action, if the employee acted fraudulently.

Pay While Using PPL ( 5 CFR 630.1704 )

The pay an employee receives when using PPL is the same pay the employee would receive if the employee were using annual leave.

PPL is a type of paid leave that is counted when determining whether an employee is entitled to night pay under title 5 (see 5 U.S.C. 5545(a) and   5 CFR 550.122 ), which provides that an employee is entitled to night pay for a period of paid leave only when the employee’s total amount of paid leave in a biweekly pay period is less than 8 hours.

Employees may not receive Sunday premium pay for periods covered by the use of PPL.

Work Obligation ( 5 CFR 630.1705 )

Advanced written service agreement.

Prior to using PPL, an employee is required to enter into a written service agreement to work for the applicable employing agency for not less than 12 weeks after the day on which PPL concludes. The applicable employing agency is the agency employing the employee at the time PPL concludes.

For example, an employee of the African Development Foundation (ADF) enters into a written service agreement with the ADF and uses 5 weeks of PPL. The employee transfers to the Department of Commerce (Commerce) and uses 7 weeks of PPL. Commerce is the applicable employing agency (that is, the agency employing the employee at the time PPL concludes), so the employee must work for Commerce for not less than 12 weeks beginning on the date PPL concludes.

The 12-week work obligation is statutorily fixed and applies regardless of the actual amount of leave used (that is, an employee who uses less than 12 weeks of paid parental leave would still be obligated to work 12 weeks). 

PPL cannot be used retroactively except in very limited circumstances.   Therefore, it is important that an employee sign (handwritten signature or acceptable electronic signature) the written agreement as far in advance as possible so that the employee has immediate access to PPL once the birth or placement occurs. If a written agreement has not been executed at the time of a child birth or placement (for example, due to an early birth or unexpected availability of a child for adoption or foster care), the work obligation agreement may be signed via email or text message as long as the employee confirms the agreement via a written or digital signature (consistent with the requirements in 5 CFR 850.106 ) within 24 hours. Under these circumstances, an email or text message will be deemed to qualify as a written work obligation agreement that allows an employee to begin using PPL.

The Date PPL Concludes

The employee must work for the applicable employing agency for not less than 12 weeks after the date on which PPL concludes. The date PPL concludes is—

• the workday on which an employee finishes using the 12 workweeks of PPL; or
• if the employee uses less than 12 workweeks of PPL during the 12-month period following the birth or placement, the last workday on which the employee used PPL in connection with the given child. (In practical terms, the agency may not know when the last day is that the employee will use PPL until the end of the 12-month period following birth or placement. Even if the employee expresses an intention to use less than 12 weeks of PPL, the employee would have an entitlement to use the full 12 weeks until the expiration of this 12-month period.)

Intermittent Use

Any periods of work between intermittent uses of PPL do not count towards the completion of the 12-week work obligation. The work obligation is met by performing work after use of PPL concludes.

For example, if an employee had been approved to use PPL on an intermittent basis and used 9 weeks of PPL, then worked for 8 weeks, then used the remaining 3 weeks of PPL, the 8 weeks the employee worked between intermittent use of PPL would not count towards the 12-week work obligation. The 12-week work obligation would begin after the employee exhausts the full 12 weeks of PPL (that is, after using the 3 remaining weeks of PPL).

Determining Work Obligation Time

The work obligation refers to a period during which the employee is in a duty status (that is, actually working). Any periods of paid or unpaid leave or time off, or other periods of nonduty status, will not count toward the 12-week work obligation. Periods of paid time off include paid holidays on which an employee does not work. Periods of other nonduty status include periods during which the employee is in furlough status or absent without leave (AWOL) status. Any periods of leave, time off, or other periods of nonduty status will extend how long it will take the employee to fulfill the 12-week work obligation.

The 12-week work obligation is statutorily fixed and applies regardless of the actual amount of PPL used (that is, an employee who uses less than 12 weeks of PPL would still be obligated to work 12 weeks). If PPL is used for multiple, overlapping birth or placement events, each event will create a separate work obligation which must be determined in accordance with the rules described above.

To determine the hours or days equivalent of the 12-week work obligation, conversion must be done in accordance with the rules described in the PPL Entitlement section above. (See 5 CFR 630.1705(c)-(d) , which refers to the conversion rules in 5 CFR 630.1703(c)-(e) ).

An employee is able to request use of leave or other time off (paid or unpaid) following use of PPL, but any use of such leave or time off will delay the completion of the 12-week work obligation. For example, an employee requests to use a week of annual leave immediately following the employee’s usage of the 12-week PPL entitlement. The week of annual leave does not count towards the fulfillment of the 12-week work obligation.

For example, an employee on a standard 8-hour work schedule concludes the use of PPL on Friday, April 19, 2024. The employee’s required 12-week work obligation is converted to 480 work hours. On Monday, April 22, 2024, the employee begins working to satisfy the required 12-week work obligation (that is, 480 hours). The 12-week work obligation could be completed as early as July 17, 2024. Friday, July 12, 2024, is 12 weeks from the commencement of the work obligation on Monday, April 22, 2024. However, during the projected period there are 3 holidays – Memorial Day on May 27 th , Juneteenth on June 19 th , and Independence Day on July 4 th . These 3 additional non-workdays extend the work obligation to July 17, 2024. If the employee uses a week of annual leave (that is, 40 hours; 8 hours x 5 days) from May 6 to 10, 2024, this week of annual leave would extend the conclusion of the employee’s 12-week work obligation by an additional week to July 24, 2024.

Reimbursement Requirement for Failure to Meet the Work Obligation

The written work obligation agreement must include a statement that the employee agrees to make a reimbursement equal to the total amount of any Government contributions paid by the agency on behalf of the employee to maintain the employee’s health insurance coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) established under 5 U.S.C. chapter 89 during the period(s) when PPL was used if the employee does not complete the entire work obligation, unless an affected agency determines that the reimbursement requirement cannot or will not be applied. The service agreement will note the possible need to provide a reimbursement to the applicable employing agency if an employee fails to meet the required work obligation.

Failure to complete the 12-week work obligation may result in an employee being required to make a reimbursement to the agency (or agencies) that employed the employee during use of PPL. With certain exceptions, the statute requires an employee who does not fulfill the 12-week work obligation to reimburse any agency contributions to maintain an employee’s FEHB coverage during the period that PPL was used. If an employee is not enrolled in FEHB coverage the reimbursement requirement does not apply if the employee does not fulfill the 12-week work obligation.

There are certain circumstances in which an agency may not impose the FEHB reimbursement requirement. An agency may not apply the reimbursement requirement when the agency determines that the employee is unable to return to work due to:

• the continuation, recurrence, or onset of a serious health condition (including mental health) of the employee or the child whose birth or placement was the basis for the PPL, but, in the case of the employee’s serious health condition, only if the condition is related to the applicable birth or placement; or
• any other circumstance beyond the employee’s control.

When an employee is unable to return to work as described in the first situation above, an agency may require an employee to provide medical certification. When an employee is unable to return to work as described in the second situation above, an agency may also require an employee to provide medical certification if the circumstance beyond the employee’s control relates to the medical condition of another individual that prevents the employee from returning to work.

The second situation is restricted to circumstances that truly preclude an employee from returning to work with the employing agency. Matters of employee preference or convenience will not suffice. Examples of situations that are beyond the employee’s control include such situations as where a parent stays home and does not return to work because a child has a serious health condition or an employee moves because the employee’s spouse is unexpectedly transferred to a job location more than 75 miles from the employee’s worksite and the employee is not approved to work remotely from that site. A situation where an employee chooses not to return to work to stay home with a well, newborn or newly placed child would not constitute a circumstance beyond the employee’s control for purposes of this exception.

Outside of these two situations, an agency has the discretion to apply or not apply the reimbursement requirement as it determines to be appropriate. Each agency is responsible for adopting its own set of policies governing when it will or will not apply the reimbursement requirement. Agencies should have a single agency-wide set of policies in place so that employees within an agency are treated consistently.

Administering the Work Obligation Requirement When An Employee Transfers to a Different Agency

If an employee uses PPL at one agency and then transfers to another agency during the PPL eligibility period with an available balance of PPL hours and uses PPL at that second agency, the second agency is the applicable employing agency at the time use of PPL concludes—that is, the agency to which the work obligation is owed. The agency employing an employee using PPL at the time use of PPL concludes is required to notify the employee’s previous agency (or agencies) if the employee fails to fulfill the 12-week work obligation. In such a case, each agency that incurred costs for the employee’s health insurance during use of PPL (that is, if an employee transferred and used PPL at more than one agency) will make its own determination as to whether to apply the reimbursement requirement.

Once an employee concludes use of PPL (in connection with the birth or placement of a given child), the work obligation attaches to the agency that employed the employee at the time use of PPL concluded. In other words, the employee’s work obligation must be completed with that agency. Thus, if an employee transfers to a different agency before completing the work obligation, the reimbursement requirement will be triggered. (See section “Reimbursement Requirement for Failure to Meet the Work Obligation.”)

Employee Incapacitation Affecting the Written Service Agreement ( 5 CFR 630.1706 )

If an agency determines that an otherwise eligible employee who could have made an election during a past period to substitute PPL for unpaid FMLA leave and enter a work obligation agreement was physically or mentally incapable of doing so during that past period, the employee may, within 5 workdays of the employee’s return to duty status, make an election to substitute PPL for applicable unpaid FMLA leave on a retroactive basis.

If unpaid FMLA leave was not already approved, the employee would be required to retroactively invoke FMLA as well in order to substitute the PPL for unpaid FMLA leave. When electing to retroactively utilize PPL, employees must also enter into the 12-week work obligation described above.

An incapacitated employee’s personal representative (if deemed acceptable by the agency) may request, on a prospective basis, the substitution of PPL for unpaid FMLA leave. The agency’s approval of such a request will be conditional. If the employee regains capacity and returns to work, the employee will be given the opportunity to enter into the 12-week work obligation agreement, as described above, within 5 workdays of returning to work. If the employee declines to enter into the agreement, PPL must be converted into leave without pay unless the employee requests that other paid leave or paid time off to the employee’s credit be applied (as appropriate) in place of the invalidated PPL. To the extent the employee has invalidated PPL hours not replaced by other paid leave or paid time off, pay received for those hours will constitute a debt owed to the employing agency.

Multiple Children Born or Placed in the Same Time Period ( 5 CFR 630.1707 )

If an employee has multiple children born or placed on the same day, the multiple-child birth/placement event is considered to be a single event that triggers a single PPL entitlement.

If an employee has one or more children born or placed during the 12-month period following the date of an earlier birth or placement of a child of the employee, each event will generate a 12-week leave entitlement to be used during the 12-month period following the birth or placement. However, any use of PPL during an overlap period (that is, a period contained within more than one 12-month period following a birth or placement) will count toward the 12-week limit for each birth or placement involved.

As a result, a use of PPL may count toward multiple 12-week limits to the extent that there are multiple ongoing 12-month periods on the date of an applicable birth or placement that cover the day when the leave is used.

Example 1. An employee has a qualifying birth on June 1, 2021. The employee hasn’t recently used FMLA leave for any purpose, therefore does not have a 12-month FMLA period already in progress at the time of the birth. The employee invokes and uses FMLA leave with substitution of PPL starting June 1, 2021; thus, the employee’s 12-month FMLA period runs from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022. The employee uses all 12 weeks of FMLA leave with substitution of PPL from June 1, 2021, to August 25, 2021 (Note:  No FMLA leave or PPL is used on the Juneteenth or Independence Day holidays.).

A foster child is subsequently placed with the employee on January 1, 2022. Since an employee is limited to 12 weeks of FMLA leave in a 12-month period for all FMLA purposes, the employee is required to wait until the end of the 12-month FMLA period associated with the birth (ends on May 31, 2022) to take FMLA leave in connection with the foster care placement. Upon the expiration of the previous 12-month FMLA period (May 31, 2022), the employee would then have access to 12 weeks of FMLA leave beginning on June 1, 2022, for which PPL could be substituted.

Since FMLA leave for placement must be concluded within the 12-month period following placement, the employee’s entitlement to use FMLA leave for the second FMLA qualifying event (foster care placement) would end on December 31, 2022. Because the foster care placement event occurred during a 12-month FMLA period already in progress, and because the employee had already used the entire 12-week FMLA leave entitlement associated with that period, that first 12-month FMLA period must conclude before the employee can establish a new entitlement to 12 weeks of FMLA leave and substitute PPL for the unpaid FMLA leave. Therefore, under this example, the employee has access to a total of 24 weeks of FMLA/PPL for these two events.

Example 2. Same circumstances as Example 1. An employee has a qualifying birth on June 1, 2021. The employee hasn’t recently used FMLA leave for any purpose, therefore does not have a 12-month FMLA period already in progress at the time of the birth. The employee invokes and uses FMLA leave with substitution of PPL starting June 1, 2021, thus the employee’s 12-month FMLA period runs from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022. However, in this example, the employee uses FMLA leave with PPL intermittently, using only 8 weeks of FMLA leave and PPL during the 12-month FMLA period from the date of the first child’s birth to the day before the foster child placement (June 1, 2021, through December 31, 2021). The employee then uses 4 weeks of FMLA leave with substitution of PPL during the period from the date of the foster care placement to the end of the 12-month period following the birth of the first child (January 1, 2022, through May 31, 2022). That period is the overlap period for the 12-month period following the first child’s birth and the 12-month period following the second child’s foster care placement. The 4 weeks of PPL leave used during that overlap period count toward the 12-week limit on PPL for each birth/placement event. Thus, as of May 31, 2022, the employee has used a total of 12 weeks of PPL in connection with the birth of the first child and 4 weeks of PPL in connection with the placement of the second child. During the period from June 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022 (the end of the 12-month period following the foster care placement), the employee may use 8 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave for which PPL can be substituted. Because the employee had an overlap period (January 1, 2022, to May 31, 2022) when simultaneously caring for two children during the first year after their birth or placement, the 4 weeks of PPL used during that overlap period are counted against the PPL entitlement associated with each child. Therefore, under this example, the employee has access to a total of 20 weeks of FMLA/PPL.

Congress has not provided OPM with specific oversight or investigative authority with respect to agencies’ FMLA leave and PPL programs. If an employee believes an agency has not fully complied with the rights and requirements provided by the Family and Medical Leave Act and OPM’s FMLA and PPL regulations, the employee may file a grievance under the agency’s administrative or negotiated grievance procedures.

For information about initiating a grievance, employees should contact their servicing HR office or, if applicable, a representative of the labor organization that represents the employee. Except when a claim is covered by an agency negotiated grievance procedure, an employee whose agency denies the employee’s claim may appeal the claim to OPM’s Merit System Audit and Compliance (MSAC) office under the procedures contained in 5 CFR part 178 , subpart A. Please see OPM’s Compensation and Leave Claims fact sheet for instructions relating to filing a claim with OPM’s MSAC office.

The Federal Government offers a wide range of leave options and workplace flexibilities to assist an employee who needs to be away from the workplace. These flexibilities include annual leave , sick leave , advanced annual leave or advanced sick leave , donated annual leave under the voluntary leave transfer program , leave without pay , alternative work schedules , credit hours under flexible work schedules , compensatory time off and telework . Agencies may also have a voluntary leave bank program .

Agencies are responsible for the administration of leave for their employees and establishing their own HR policies based on the leave statutes in chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, and the leave regulations in part 630 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations. Therefore, if you are an employee, timekeeper, supervisor or other agency official, or union representative, you should contact your servicing HR office for assistance with any questions you may have. If you are a component HR office, you should contact your agency headquarters office for assistance. If your HR chain of command needs assistance answering your question, inquiries should be directed to OPM through the headquarters HR policy office.

• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) 12-Week Entitlement fact sheet
• The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-3, February 5, 1993)
• Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (Sections 7601-7606, Public Law 116-92, December 20, 2019)
• Paid Parental Leave Technical Corrections Act of 2020 (Section 1103, Public Law 116-283, January 1, 2021)
• Section 1114 of Public Law 118-31, December 22, 2023
• 5 U.S.C. 6381-6387 (FMLA and PPL)
• 5 CFR part 630, subpart L, Family and Medical Leave
• 5 CFR part 630, subpart Q, Paid Parental Leave
• Family and Medical Leave and Paid Parental Leave Interim Regulations (85 FR 48075)
• CPM 2020-10, Paid Parental Leave for Federal Employees Interim Regulations
• CPM 2021-07, Technical Amendments Related to Family and Medical Leave and Paid Parental Leave under Section 1103 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021
• CPM 2024-05, Amendment Related to Inclusion of Certain Military Active Service for Family and Medical Leave and Paid Parental Leave Eligibility Purposes under Section 1114 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024

May 17, 2024

16 Must-Know Benefits For Employees That Help You Thrive

Choosing what benefits to offer employees is a delicate balance. Some of these benefits might be too expensive for your company to offer, meaning you’ll need to decide which best serve your labor budget and your employees.

Plus, depending on where you’re operating and the size of your company, you might be required to offer some by law. And offering perks that are in high demand is a great way to attract top talent.

So, what are the mandatory benefits for employees and what extras should you offer?

What are employee benefits?

Virtually all companies offer employee benefits packages to their workers. The term refers to any of the tangible and intangible compensation and perks offered to workers beyond their wages and salary.

Employee benefits typically fit within three categories:

- Mandatory benefits. These are benefits your company must provide to workers by law, like Medicare and Social Security or overtime pay.

- Industry-standard benefits. These are workplace perks that no law requires you to offer but that most employers in your industry provide, like extra healthcare or 401(k) matching. If you don't offer them, you'll be at a competitive disadvantage when trying to attract talented workers.

- Fringe benefits. These are extra benefits your company decides to offer to help you stand out from other employers and entice the best candidates to work for you, like fitness or transportation stipends.

Why are employee benefits important?

Now that you know what employee benefits are, you may be wondering, why are employee benefits important?

There are three main reasons:

- A good benefits package makes attracting great talent easier. One Glassdoor survey found that 63% of workers look for information about benefits when reviewing job ads. If you aren't offering at least the industry standard, the most qualified candidates might pass on your offer.

- Good benefits increase your employee retention rate. If you're providing workers with perks like flexible time and full-coverage health insurance, they'll be less likely to leave for another opportunity.

- Happier employees might work harder. Benefits can also impact job satisfaction, and employees who are happier are 12% more productive , on average.

16 types of employee benefits to consider

No company can offer every single benefit available, but there are some common types of employee benefits you should at least consider offering as part of your package. Here are 16 of them.

Standard benefits

The most common employee benefits include:

1. Health insurance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 96% of union employees and 69% of non-union employees in the private sector have access to health insurance as a workplace benefit. Employers may offer access to group coverage and, in some cases, subsidize premiums for employees and their families.

2. Retirement plans. In the private sector, 9 4% of union workers and 68% of non-union workers have access to retirement plans. These could include defined benefit plans where employers provide guaranteed pay in retirement or defined contribution plans like 401(k)s that allow employees to invest for retirement. Many employers offering 401(k) plans match some worker contributions.

3. Time off, including paid leave. Paid sick leave is available to 8 6% of private sector union workers and 77% of non-union workers . Some companies also offer paid leave for other reasons, like personal time or extended maternity leaves.

Some of these standard benefits are required by law. The Affordable Care Act requires employers with over 50 full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) to offer qualifying health insurance coverage. Larger employers covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act also must allow up to 12 weeks of leave in a 12-month period for qualifying reasons, like developing a serious health condition or caring for a family member. This leave doesn’t have to be paid, but your company can choose to offer a paid leave policy.

Health and well-being benefits

Many employers also offer health and well-being benefits. These are often classified as fringe benefits because they aren't always industry standard and they aren't required by law.

4. Wellness programs. Wellness programs can include perks like fitness stipends or smoking cessation programs. They help staff members improve their physical health, which can reduce insurance costs and cut down on missed workdays.

5. Mental health support. The American Psychological Association's 2023 Work in America study found that 92% of workers believe it's very or somewhat important to work for a company that provides mental health support. Mental health benefits include stress management education and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) that provide access to third-party service providers, including therapists.

6. Pharmacy benefits. Prescription drug coverage, negotiated rebates with drug manufacturers, or home medication delivery are all examples of pharmacy benefits. Access to a flexible spending account (FSA) can also count under this umbrella.

Family benefits

7. Parental leave. Around 27% of private sector workers have access to paid parental leave. Parental leave offers mothers and fathers paid time off after the birth or adoption of a child.

8. Childcare subsidies. Some companies help staff pay for childcare or even provide on-site care.

9. Dependent care FSAs. Dependent care FSAs allow workers to put away money pre-tax to pay for qualifying childcare expenses such as day camp or preschool.

Working hours and time off

10. Flexible working hours. An estimated 82% of workers whose companies offer flexible schedules report taking advantage of this benefit, according to a Deloitte survey. Flexible working hours come at little cost to your business but have substantial benefits for employee mental health.

12. Remote work. Many companies went remote during the COVID-19 pandemic and some still allow staff members to work from home. And, one USA Today survey found 58% of white-collar workers would prefer to work remotely at least three days per week .

13. Commuter benefits. Some companies offer benefits to those who commute to the office, like fuel subsidies, public transportation passes, or free parking.

Financial security

14. Financial growth benefits. Companies may offer support to help employees improve their finances, like access to financial advisors and financial planning seminars.

15. Life insurance. Some businesses allow employees access to group life insurance coverage and either subsidize or pay for premiums.

16. Investment opportunities. Employers may offer staff members stock options to allow them to own a share of the business.

17. Tuition or student loan reimbursement. Some companies subsidize tuition costs or provide employees with help repaying their student loans.

Some companies may also offer other benefits that increase financial flexibility for their staff. For example, same-day pay or earned wage access allows workers to access a portion of their pay as they work instead of on the usual weekly or biweekly payment schedule.

If you’re an employer looking to offer earned wage access and other benefits to your employees, EarnIn can help. With the Cash Out tool, employees can access their pay as they work, up to $100 a day and $750 per pay period, with no interest, no mandatory fees, and no credit checks required.

Choosing the right benefits for your employees

Designing employee benefits packages can be complicated because you must consider:

-The company budget and the costs of different employee benefits

-What's required by law

-What's standard in your industry

-What perks you'd need to attract and retain the best talent

-How you can best support your employees as putting people first helps your company grow

To make a decision on which common employee benefits and which fringe benefits you'll offer, start by researching what the federal government and your state require.

For example, California has laws requiring sick pay , but there’s no federal rule mandating paid leave due to illness. Most states don't require this coverage, so you need to know the rules that apply to you, especially if you operate in multiple states.

Next, you can research:

-How much do benefits cost per employee?

-What are your competitors offering?

-Which benefits are most important to workers, according to surveys or the BLS?

You'll also need to look closely at the total compensation packages you're offering — including benefits — to make sure you don't exceed your labor budget. These costs vary widely, based on your state, company size, and provider.

Best practices to implement employee benefits packages

To make sure you create an employee benefit package that's attractive, sustainable, and legal, there are a few best practices to follow. Your company should:

-Establish a budget for benefits

-Research benefits options, like 401(k) administrators and group health insurance providers

-Get feedback from current employees to better understand their needs

-Communicate your benefits package to current and potential future employees

-Review your benefits plan annually to make any necessary adjustments

Am I required to offer employee benefits?

The benefits you're required to offer employees vary depending on the size of your business and where you operate.

Federal law requires every company to provide certain benefits to workers, like paying at least minimum wage. Larger employers are also required by federal law to offer group health insurance to staff and provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave in qualifying situations, such as for the birth of a child.

Some states also have additional requirements, so check to see what’s required wherever your business operates.

What are mandatory benefits for employees?

Mandatory benefits are any benefits required by law. Examples include unemployment insurance and workers' compensation insurance in most states.

What benefits do employees value most?

Workers place a very high value on certain types of employee benefits, like health insurance and retirement benefits. Paid time off, company-provided life insurance, and mental health support are also popular benefits.

How do you determine what benefits to offer employees?

When deciding what benefits for employees your company should offer, start by researching what's required. For example, some larger companies must provide health insurance.

You may want to offer more than just the minimum required benefits to attract top talent, though. To decide, research what your competitors are offering, solicit feedback from current staff, and read studies and surveys online showing what benefits are in demand. Set a budget, then use the information you've gathered to decide which perks to prioritize.

Boost your team's well-being with Earned Wage Access

With EarnIn, companies can choose to offer early access to paychecks, giving their employees more say over their finances and boosting retention. The benefits range from same-day pay with the Cash Out tool, up to $100 a day or $750 per pay period, with no interest, mandatory fees, or credit checks.

Plus, EarnIn’s credit monitoring tool lets users monitor their credit score at any time, for free.

EarnIn requires no technical integrations or maintenance, so you can get started in as few as 10 days. Start paying your employees at their speed today.

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