Separation pay/benefits

[PMedMoe]

RCR Grunt,

As far as a single parent whose child does not reside with them, I don't think there is any basis to apply for separation pay.  The DCBA 3 Aide-Memoire, APPLICATION FOR TEMPORARY RELOCATION (TR) BENEFITS AND SEPARATION ALLOWANCE - (SA), states:
(Emphasis mine)

"I certify that I am married or I have a dependant as defined in the DCBA 3 Aide Memoire. There is no separation with intent, judicial or otherwise, in existence, and that my dependants normally reside in the same household as myself and move with me from one place of duty to another, and that separation is due solely to service reasons. I fully understand that fraudulent reporting of status shall result in recovery and/or charges under the NDA."

As far as you and your spouse being in different places, IIRC, you are correct in stating that you are only entitled to one type of pay.  Obviuously, only one member of a service couple can collect separation pay but if the other is sent on a course, then they would be entitled to TD.

 

[PO2FinClk]

Separation pay is now for overseas deployments only.  In Canada, TD or IR apply.

As mentioned by Cataract Kid, there no longer exists Seperation Expense for overseas deployments, only for folks in Canada. The change for overseas entitlement occurred circa 2003 when they introduced, or separated, FSP and OPS FSP. OPS FSP was hiked by $200.00/Month to existing FSP level to offset Separation Expense and all personnel benefited from it. The premise to grant single pers the extra amount was that although not separated from a spouse or children, they were nonetheless separated from those close to them.

DGCB 025 022010Z Sep 03 Para 11 "OP LIVING ALLOWANCE (OLA) CONSISTING OF SHELTER, MEAL AND LIVING ALLCES, REPLACES SEPARATION EXPENSE UNDER CBI 209.977. THE USD 4.00 PER DAY FORMERLY PAID ONLY TO MEMBERS WITH DEPENDANTS HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO THE INCREASE TO OPS FSP BY CAD 200 AS ANNOUNCED IN PARA 3 AND DGCB 023 SO THAT ALL DEPLOYED MEMBERS ARE TREATED EQUITABLY."  MFSI 10.3.01(4) mentions the removal of entitlement to Sep Exp for international deployments: "A member who is entitled to receive allowances and benefits under this section is not entitled to the allowances and benefits under CBI 209.997 - Separation Expense."

As for the remainder of Separation Allowance, the references stated within this thread detail it all. However note that more amendments are forthcoming where from the last I have been informed would see Sep Allow renamed to Temporary Relocation Allowance.

However note that some single folk may be entitled to free R&Q on enrolment if they continue to be responsible to pay a dwelling, be it owning a house or an apartment until such a time as their HG&E are relocated at crown expense. DCBA 3-2 001 301442Z JAN 03 RECRUITS RETAINING ACCOMODATION VS LONG TERM STORAGE (LTS) was the ref to this effect but has recently been rescinded by DCBA. On that front at a recent DCBA brief they stated that a comprehensive policy and directive review was "scheduled" to be released by 01 Apr 08. The intended change was to include all of these policies and messages in "CDBI's" which would replace CBI's.

A couple questions regarding separation pay.  Wife is in CFSAL in Borden, I'm at CTC Gagetown on my DP3A Inf, F&E and the cats and Q are in Petawawa.  Wife is getting Sep pay, and I'm getting TD.  Is this right, or are we only entitled to one kind of pay per service couple?  This kind of concerns me, as I was handed a sizable claim on departure for course.

Question for your OR CLaim/R&D Section, but my current understanding is that yes it is correct as the 2 entitlements are mutually exclusive. If she goes on TD then the answer is no as she will get one over the other, but never both at the same time.

Can a single parent who's child does not reside with them claim separation pay?  Say a mother has a child who lives with their grandmother, is she entitled to separation pay for being separated from a child that does not reside with them in the first place?  Is this member entitled to any sort of special allowances, such as TD or relief from paying rations and quarters?

As the person is not responsible for that child, no entitlement other then LTA or Compassionate exist for this person.

 

[ANyk0r4k]

Hey all, I hope Im not tickin anyone off by resurecting a dead post. But my situation falls under this topic.
Let me lay it outfo ya:

My wife joined the military as of November of 2008. She went to St. Jean for her Basic training. She was told she would not be paying R&Q and would be recieving seperation expense.
I Transfered from the Reserves to the Reg Force on January 9th 2009. I was then told I would be going to Borden for my QL3 for the next 2 years or so. I was told I could place my F&E in storage but that I would not have access to it untill the end of my training. Upon arriving here I was told that Both myself and my wife would now be paying R&Q and that neither of us would be recieving separation expense because our F& was in long term storage. I've been told by numerous people that we don't get either free R&Q or Sep. But some people have been saying I should be receiving Sep.

Any help or info in this would be great, as my OR's don't seem too helpful.
Thanks.

 

[PMedMoe]

According to the DCBA Aide Memoire (emphasis mine):

For a member to be eligible for Temporary Relocation they must be a member or the Regular or on Reserve Force Class “B” or “C” service and meet all the following criteria:

a. Dependant: members must have a dependant that resides with them on a full time basis at the location of the member’s HG&E;

b. Principal Residence: member must maintain the expenses associated with a principal residence;

c. Cost Move: member has not moved D, HG&E at public expense to their place of duty; and

d. Prohibited Posted/Posted: member has been prohibited posted to a location in Canada, or has been posted to a new location in Canada and has been granted IR status, or is part of a service couple that have been posted apart.

Since you do not meet all of the qualifications, in this case, a, b and possibly c., if DND is paying for the move of your F&E into LTS, you are probably not eligible for free R&Q or separation pay.

 

[4Feathers]

The rules here need some serious review. Most of them were penned 20 years ago or more, and society and families have evolved since then. I would hope that someday everyone, married or not, would be entitled to the same benefits. Are we not discriminating based on marital status if not? Hey if you doubt me, parental leave is something new, it sure was not around when my kids were born, I got the afternoon off then back to work.

 

[George Wallace]

The rules here need some serious review. Most of them were penned 20 years ago or more, and society and families have evolved since then. I would hope that someday everyone, married or not, would be entitled to the same benefits. Are we not discriminating based on marital status if not? Hey if you doubt me, parental leave is something new, it sure was not around when my kids were born, I got the afternoon off then back to work.

Don't even try bringing up that BS.  It is all Apples and Oranges and has been discused ad nausium in the CF and on this site.  You can not give equal benefits to people who are not equally deserving.    AND you should know better. 

 

[4Feathers]

Don't even try bringing up that BS.  It is all Apples and Oranges and has been discused ad nausium in the CF and on this site.  You can not give equal benefits to people who are not equally deserving.    AND you should know better.   

I hear you George, but my point should have been more clear. I am a single parent, and as a father, I have had to fight for any benefits I ever received while having custody of my kids, while married parents got theirs with no question. I have even been posted several times and refused move benefits for my kids, even though they were with me. My mistake for not being clear.

 

[ANyk0r4k]

I understand about not getting R&Q, but shouldn't there be some sort of compensation for being seperated from my spouse through military choice?

 

[George Wallace]

I think we have all been placed in one of these positions once or twice in our careers.  Although some of the rules may seem unfair, they are for the most part fair and the best for all.  To make an exception for anyone, then would make these rules unfair.

In this case, the poster thought he was entitled to something, which when one looks at the criteria, he did not meet the definition.  Yes he is separated from his Service wife, but both are in training and living in quarters with their F&E in storage.  The CF is going to pay for the storage.  Neither is maintaining a residence, so there are no fees due there.  Free storage of F&E, and free R&Q is not fair to the remainder of the members serving.

I got caught with the NO Separation Allowance/NO IRP when my spouse took a job and moved into an apartment in the city two hours away.  The CF did not post me away from her.  We made the decision that her career required it and she moved.  It was not a result of the CF, but our own decision.  NO Separation Allowance entitlement.  Nor entitlement to IRP.  Two mortgages later...............................


Anyway......We must sometime come to grips with the personal decisions we and realize that we are not always entitled to compensation.

 

[George Wallace]

I understand about not getting R&Q, but shouldn't there be some sort of compensation for being seperated from my spouse through military choice?

No.  As was pointed out; you made a personal decision.  Your wife joined the CF and would have been entitled to separation allowance while separated from you and your home.  You made the personal decision to join the CF later and sold you home/gave up your apartment/whatever and put all your F&E into storage at Gov't expense.  Neither of you have a residence to maintain, utilities to pay for, all the other expenses of maintaining a residence, nor the location to return to on Leave.  You are basically asking for the best of both worlds.  Unfortunately, you are in the Training System, and until one of you takes your F&E out of storage and maintains a residence, you will both have to pay R&Q and neither would be collecting Separation Allowance..........Which brings up another point that an experienced Clerk can clarify..............Both Service members are not entitled to collect Separation Allowance at the same time; only one can, if I understand this correctly.


TIME for a Clerk to sort this out, not us Cbt Arms types.  ;D

 

[PMedMoe]

Both Service members are not entitled to collect Separation Allowance at the same time; only one can, if I understand this correctly.

You are correct, George, only one member gets SA, the one not at the primary residence with the F&E.  However, one can get SA and the other can get TD if they are on course (unless they are posted on course). 

Which leads me to this question:  ANyk0r4k, your QL3 course is two years?  ???  By that time, your wife may be trained and already posted somewhere.

 

[aesop081]

I hear you George, but my point should have been more clear. I am a single parent, and as a father, I have had to fight for any benefits I ever received while having custody of my kids, while married parents got theirs with no question. I have even been posted several times and refused move benefits for my kids, even though they were with me.

Being a single father myself, i have had no issue whatsoever WRT benefits.

 

[ANyk0r4k]

Ya, I went AVN, my Common Core start this month, but my Trades doesn't start untill September and runs for a year.
Well, it looks like Im pooched on this front I guess, thanks for all the input everyone.

 

[CountDC]

Hey all, I hope Im not tickin anyone off by resurecting a dead post. But my situation falls under this topic.
Let me lay it outfo ya:

My wife joined the military as of November of 2008. She went to St. Jean for her Basic training. She was told she would not be paying R&Q and would be recieving seperation expense.
I Transfered from the Reserves to the Reg Force on January 9th 2009. I was then told I would be going to Borden for my QL3 for the next 2 years or so. I was told I could place my F&E in storage but that I would not have access to it untill the end of my training. Upon arriving here I was told that Both myself and my wife would now be paying R&Q and that neither of us would be recieving separation expense because our F& was in long term storage. I've been told by numerous people that we don't get either free R&Q or Sep. But some people have been saying I should be receiving Sep.

Any help or info in this would be great, as my OR's don't seem too helpful.
Thanks.

Just a slight correction to the storage part - you do have access to it if you are willing to pay the fee - usely around $50.

 

[MasterInstructor]

Hi All

After searching for a while, I found a lot of posts about eligibility but no CURRENT information about rates. I also found out that it is called many different names and it is keep changing. Separation Pay, Separation Expense, Separation Allowance etc.

Where can I find this information, What should I search for? I have been all over DND Chief Military Personnel Website but no luck. I just need to know the current and accurate term I guess. So I can search and find out.

Thanks

 

[armyvern]

That's because it's complicated ... and entirely dependant upon your personal situation and circumstances.

It's called Seperation Allowance ... and it may be paid at either the High Rate or the Low Rate;

http://www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dgcb-dgras/pd/rel-rei/aps-paa-2009/chapter-chapitre-11-eng.asp

Understand that the rates (amounts) also change. Those are determined by the Treasury Board ... here's a link to that particular Federal Department's refs for this:

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/TBM_113/c-eng.asp

http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/TBM_113/td-dv01-eng.asp#Toc190491115
________________________________

If you believe that you are antitled to SA (at whatever rate), contact your R&D section at the base Orderly Room; they are the only ones who can determine your circumstances, an entitlement, and advise you of current applicable rates.

Can't figure out the above links? That is why they exist over there at R&D and they are the only ones who can investigate and action anything that you may be entitled to.

 

[MasterInstructor]

Thank you! I am not enrolled yet so thats why I can not ask R&D

cheers

 

[armyvern]

When/if you do enrol, ensure that you inform them of all your family circumstances and of house ownership etc. They will then need to compile all your details and determine if an entitlements exists and to what rate it would be applicable.

The rates then, will be different from the rates today ... I'm willing to put money on that.  8)

 

[MasterInstructor]

I was just trying to create a budget. I did apply so hopefully everything will go according to plan and I will be enrolled! I found out that high rate is 17.30 and Low is 13.00 that gives me an idea!

 

[captloadie]

Maybe you shouldn't plan a budget around any possible separation allowances just yet. I haven't done a search of the site, but if memory serves me right, you aren't considered separated from your family until after you are fully enrolled and on your first posting. Not surprisingly, many of the allowances (I won't use the word entitlements, because I hate that word) don't apply to new members who aren't fully trained.

I could be wrong though, and I expect to be corrected by those more knowledgeable if I am