Commuter Allowance- Merged Thread

[dapaterson]

In theory (and I stress in theory) the unit should have "dets" in HRMS with geogrpahical locations indicated.  That way the CM sees who's where; support bases see who's where...

However, that level of granularity sometimes gets lost - the Buckshot Fusiliers show up as being in Swift Current in HRMS, but B Company is actually in Tisdale.  The unit knows it, the Bde knows it, the Area may know it, but at the national level, where the structures are input into HRMS, the information isn't known, leading to this sort of confusion.


Short solution: EC action to create a section called 37 Svc Bn Det Moncton, with GeoLoc Moncton NB; then move this Reg F position to that det.


Many units have multiple detachments; email, fax & phone are heavily used, but there are also increased TD costs for ufll-time staff and the unit command team.  Not so bad when it's emrely an hour or two by road; when they're spread over a province or two things get more challenging.

 

[Biohazardxj]

I will ask the next question before the OP does.  In your case, how did you provide Sp to the unit which was not geographically co-located with your office?  TD on an as required basis?

Fortunate for me I had an Infantry MCpl who was very switched on and did a lot of the grunt work (pardon the pun) for me.  There were weekly mail runs between the two locations and of course lots of phone call, faxes, and emails.  I would go there every couple of months or if something special was happening and I would use DND transport if I could.  If not I would claim millage.

 

[alpine67]

There is absolutely NO way they would post you to 37 Svc Bn and then "tell" you your actually working in Moncton.  It just doesn't happen that way. 

I assure you, it absolutely is happening that way. If you doubt me, I will be more than happy to email you my posting message to Saint John, and the email from the career manager stating that I will be working in Moncton.
Brookfield says they can only move me to Saint John, as that is what is on my posting message.

 

[dapaterson]

Go to the CT Relocation Coordinator.  State (in writing) that your CM is telling you that you will be working in Moncton despite what the posting message says, and that you therefore need to move to Moncton vice Saint John, and that Brookfield is unwilling or unable to move you there.  Include copies of the posting message and the CM emails.

Send copies to both your current chain of command and whatever POC you were given at your new unit so they are all kept in the loop as well.


From the IRP Manual:

1.3.02 Request for clarification /adjudication

Requests may be submitted to DCBA through the CF Relocation Coordinator when CF members:

· have incurred reasonable expenses resulting from exceptional circumstances or demands not covered by the relocation policy and require Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) authority; or
· do not agree with the application or the interpretation of the CFIRP policy by the service provider.

All requests shall include the following information:
· a written description of the decision/situation that generated the request and all supporting facts known to the CF member;
· the rationale supporting the request, with a clear statement of the full benefits sought; i.e. what benefits the CF member feels he/she should be entitled to; and
· all pertinent supporting documents such as posting instr, MPRR, invoices, airfare quotes, medical statements, Relocation Consultant’s statements, reports, if MSC and service spouse is also posted, both posting instrs etc.

CF Relocation Coordinators shall return incomplete requests to CF members with explanations on required documents/information.

CF Relocation Coordinators shall respond directly to CF members’ requests that do not meet the limitations of the policy as stated above with appropriate analysis and pertinent references.

 

[392]

Go to the CT Relocation Coordinator.  State (in writing) that your CM is telling you that you will be working in Moncton despite what the posting message says, and that you therefore need to move to Moncton vice Saint John, and that Brookfield is unwilling or unable to move you there.  Include copies of the posting message and the CM emails.

Send copies to both your current chain of command and whatever POC you were given at your new unit so they are all kept in the loop as well.


From the IRP Manual:

1.3.02 Request for clarification /adjudication

Requests may be submitted to DCBA through the CF Relocation Coordinator when CF members:

· have incurred reasonable expenses resulting from exceptional circumstances or demands not covered by the relocation policy and require Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) authority; or
· do not agree with the application or the interpretation of the CFIRP policy by the service provider.

All requests shall include the following information:
· a written description of the decision/situation that generated the request and all supporting facts known to the CF member;
· the rationale supporting the request, with a clear statement of the full benefits sought; i.e. what benefits the CF member feels he/she should be entitled to; and
· all pertinent supporting documents such as posting instr, MPRR, invoices, airfare quotes, medical statements, Relocation Consultant’s statements, reports, if MSC and service spouse is also posted, both posting instrs etc.

CF Relocation Coordinators shall return incomplete requests to CF members with explanations on required documents/information.

CF Relocation Coordinators shall respond directly to CF members’ requests that do not meet the limitations of the policy as stated above with appropriate analysis and pertinent references.

This should not even have to be done.

This is flat out a CoC issue that could be sorted in about 5 seconds on the phone to the CM by the applicable RSM / Adj. Members should not have to be using an adjudication system designed for other purposes to sort out the basics of a posting.

 

[Newguy1]

If live 50km from my unit, am i entitled to a commuting allowance every time i parade?

 

[dapaterson]

Ask about TAA, it pays low rate milage for distances beyond 16 km where no reasonable transit exists. 

 

[bLUE fOX]

According to the CBI's, anything over 16km's (one way) is claimable

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-policies-standards-benefits/ch-209-transportation-expenses.page

 

[DAA]

If live 50km from my unit, am i entitled to a commuting allowance every time i parade?

Only during periods of "Class A" service.

 

[aequitas]

According to the CBI's, anything over 16km's (one way) is claimable

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-policies-standards-benefits/ch-209-transportation-expenses.page

Can't find the reference but I'm 99% sure this was cut 01 Apr 12.

 

[dapaterson]

Only cut for those on full time service.  Part time members are still eligible.

 

[bLUE fOX]

209.045 - Transportation Assistance for Reserve Force Personnel on Class A Reserve Service
209.045(1) (Definitions) The definitions in this paragraph apply in this instruction.

adequate public transportation
means public transportation that is scheduled at appropriate times to permit officers or non-commissioned members to work their allotted schedule and return to their residence within a reasonable time after work and that has the capacity to carry the work force.
worksite
means a building or other place where an officer or non-commissioned member reports for training or duty.
209.045(2) (Travel assistance) An officer or non-commissioned member of the Reserve Force on Class A Reserve Service who performs training or duty may be paid transportation assistance based on distance travelled, if

the member has not been moved to their place of training or duty at public expense; and
the member lives 16 kilometres or more from their place of training or duty; and
transportation cannot be provided from Government sources, or adequate public transport is not available.
209.045(3) (Rate of assistance) If assistance based on distance travelled is authorized, an officer or non-commissioned member is entitled, for each trip between the Reserve Service worksite and the member's residence, to assistance based on distance travelled at the rate established under the Canadian Forces Temporary Duty Travel Instruction as though the member had travelled by private motor car, for the direct road distance in excess of 16 kilometres, one way.

 

[DovoNewb]

My wife said to me that she read on a military spouses forum on Facebook about someone bragging that their husband is now receiving a commuting allowance. She knows not to believe 99.8% of what is posted, and to take the rest with a grain of salt. I think being on this particular forum she is on is more of a hobby to read up on the rumours and drama... whatever floats her boat.

Low and behold when I spoke with one of the clerks here, such a thing does in fact exist. I'm having a hard time finding a canforgen or something else related on it to do some reading of my own to see if I am even eligible.

Would there be someone in forum land that has this, knows about this, is a clerk etc. that can point me in the right direction?

Grazie!

 

[DAA]

My wife said to me that she read on a military spouses forum on Facebook about someone bragging that their husband is now receiving a commuting allowance. She knows not to believe 99.8% of what is posted, and to take the rest with a grain of salt. I think being on this particular forum she is on is more of a hobby to read up on the rumours and drama... whatever floats her boat.

Low and behold when I spoke with one of the clerks here, such a thing does in fact exist. I'm having a hard time finding a canforgen or something else related on it to do some reading of my own to see if I am even eligible.

Would there be someone in forum land that has this, knows about this, is a clerk etc. that can point me in the right direction?

For Reserve Force members or for Regular Force members?

 

[dapaterson]

In limited circumstances, there are provisions for such an allowance.  Simplified, it works like this: You were to be moved from location A to location B, but make the case that it would be cheaper to pay you the allowance to commute to location B instead of moving you.

It's called Special Commuting Assistance, and is section 2.5 of the CFIRP.

Section 2.5 Special Commuting Assistance (SCA)

2.5.01 SCA in lieu of a cost move

CF members may be authorized to receive the SCA in lieu of a Crown-funded relocation of (D) HG&E when posted to a new place of duty to which they are authorized to relocate their (D) HG&E. DCBA may authorize SCA based on a request and the recommendation of the gaining unit Commanding Officer.

2.5.02 Considerations

CF members who:
•wish to continue to reside in their primary residence located outside the geographical boundaries of their new place of duty; or
•are posted to a new place of duty within the same geographical boundaries and are consequently able to relocate 40 kms closer to their new place of duty,

shall initially request and must receive the authority of their gaining unit CO.

The CO should consider the following:
•the reasonable daily distance that can be traveled to and from the CF member's primary residence to the new place of duty; and
•CF member's ability to travel within established time limitations to the new place of duty when recalled.

CF members already in receipt of SCA who continue to meet the requirements of this article and are posted locally to a new place of duty shall retain SCA benefits.

2.5.03 Administrative Support Unit (ASU) requirements

CF members who receive authority to reside outside the geographical area may then apply for SCA to their ASU through their gaining unit CO.

The ASU shall submit the CF member's request, including all supporting documents, to DCBA. The following information shall be included within the submission:
•Cost effectiveness based on a cost comparison of the anticipated tour length and reimbursement of SCA; versus
•Entitlements provided to CF members when relocated unaccompanied; and
•Entitlements provided to CF members had the (D) HG&E been relocated using average cost of a move as per the most recent Cost Factors Manual.

2.5.04 Conditions and limitations

CF members who are authorized SCA shall be subject to the following:
•CF members who proceed unaccompanied and are granted an Imposed Restriction (IR) and receive Separation Expense (SE) benefits in respect of any relocation may not later elect SCA in lieu of the IR/SE benefits.  SCA may be authorized on subsequent postings that give rise to new relocation entitlements.
•CF members shall waive in writing all relocation benefits and entitlements to the new place of duty as provided by CFIRP;
•SCA shall be authorized for the duration of the posting to the place of duty that gave rise to the entitlement; and
•CF members shall not be eligible for subsequent relocation benefits and entitlements until posted to a new place of duty where the conditions and limitations of CFIRP would again apply.

2.5.05 SCA administration

The CF member's ASU shall administer the reimbursement of SCA. SCA is to be charged under the applicable cost move financial code.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-policies-standards-benefits-relocation/2014-directive-amend-ch2.page#sec-02-05

 

[DovoNewb]

What exactly is it about the CBI which you need clarification on. We cannot assist unless you detail what it is exactly which you are uncertain about.

Extracts from the DCBA Aide Memoire dated 01 February 07.
Based solely on the information provided above, it seems you would have an entitlement. However the actual merits will have to be addressed through your chain with your support BOR to ensure all criterias are met, that any geographical MOU is adhered to and that no other specific conditional authorization has been previously issued for your area.

For starters, I am reg forc; eI am posted to a location, I have an SQ room but my wife and daughter live approximately 140km away. I am confused on eligibility for myself because I met her after I was posted here so I assume I cannot have IR. There is no work for her here, so financially for us it makes more sense for her to be in said town, 140 odd km away.

Currently I only am home on weekends and perhaps one trip during the week depending on my work schedule. We have been doing this now for 4 years, got married 2013, and our daughter was born 6 weeks ago.

My OT or civ job hunt plan doesn't seem to be working out for me, so I am looking at other avenues for the time being until I hear back yes or no once the posting/crse messages etc are cut this year for OT's. My goal if this doesn't happen is to move closer so that I can live at home full time versus living like a gypsy like what I have been doing.

Such is life when you meet your out of area spouse after you get posted to a spot.

No sense of entitlement here, I do however owe it to myself to do some homework on this.

 

[DovoNewb]

For Reserve Force members or for Regular Force members?

I think it is a mish mash of both reserve and reg force. There are posts from all over the country.

 

[DAA]

I am posted to a location, I have an SQ room but my wife and daughter live approximately 140km away. I am confused on eligibility for myself because I met her after I was posted here so I assume I cannot have IR. There is no work for her here, so financially for us it makes more sense for her to be in said town, 140 odd km away.

Currently I only am home on weekends and perhaps one trip during the week depending on my work schedule. We have been doing this now for 4 years, got married 2013, and our daughter was born 6 weeks ago.

My OT or civ job hunt plan doesn't seem to be working out for me, so I am looking at other avenues for the time being until I hear back yes or no once the posting/crse messages etc are cut this year for OT's. My goal if this doesn't happen is to move closer so that I can live at home full time versus living like a gypsy like what I have been doing.

Such is life when you meet your out of area spouse after you get posted to a spot.

No sense of entitlement here, I do however owe it to myself to do some homework on this.

Because you acquired dependants "after" the COS date for your current posting, there are NO entitlements available that I can think of.  The only possibility that comes to mind, would be if you owned your home, prior to the COS and had never been relocated at public expense before, in which case as mentioned by dapaterson, SCA may/might be an option.

 

[DovoNewb]

Because you acquired dependants "after" the COS date for your current posting, there are NO entitlements available that I can think of.  The only possibility that comes to mind, would be if you owned your home, prior to the COS and had never been relocated at public expense before, in which case as mentioned by dapaterson, SCA may/might be an option.

In this case, I was moved here from DP1 on the governments dime to the shacks. I met my now wife after I was posted here. We bought a house earlier than planned because her apartment at the time had mold in it and she's asthmatic to begin with. I think we were only together for 6 months when we bought the house but it's a gamble I am very thankful and fortunate to have taken with such a woman.