Labor Relations
GSFC-GESTA Collective Bargaining Agreement
Article 14 Travel
SECTION 14.01 Travel for and at the direction of Management shall be compensable in accordance with applicable regulations. The scheduling of the methods, means, and the time for travel is a matter for determination by Management subject to applicable regulations and provisions of this Agreement.
SECTION 14.02 Time in travel status away from the official duty station of the employee is deemed hours of employment for pay purposes only when:
a. it is within the regularly scheduled administrative workweek of the employee, including regular overtime work; or
b. the travel (1) involves the performance of actual work while traveling, (2) is incidental to travel that involves the performance of work while traveling, (3) is carried out under such arduous and unusual conditions that the travel is inseparable from work, or (4) results from an event which could not be scheduled or controlled administratively.
SECTION 14.03 When it is essential that travel be performed during non-duty hours and the employee may not be paid overtime under law, the official authorizing the employee's travel shall record his/her reasons for ordering those hours either on the travel orders or in a separate memorandum, a copy of which shall be furnished to the employee concerned upon his/her request.
If travel outside regularly scheduled duty hours is officially ordered and is performed under one of the conditions listed in Section 14.02(b) above, it shall be considered as hours of employment and compensated as overtime or compensatory time. Overtime pay or compensatory time earned may be granted for performance of work while traveling even though the work performed is of the same kind ordinarily performed at the employee's duty station. In such cases, however, Management must require the employee to perform the work during travel and overtime must be officially ordered in advance for the time spent working. Overtime earned under these provisions will be processed in accordance with Article 13 of this Agreement.
SECTION 14.04 Both parties recognize that travel may be required on non-duty time; however, to the maximum extent practicable, Management shall schedule the time to be spent by an employee in travel status within the regularly scheduled work hours of the employee. When an employee is required to travel outside his/her regular duty hours under conditions for which overtime may not be paid, upon request of the employee, he/she shall be provided a written explanation as to the reasons why the travel was ordered during non-duty time.
SECTION 14.05 Subject to the provisions of subparagraph a. and b. below, employees are expected to return to their official duty stations immediately upon completion of temporary duty assignments whenever common carrier transportation is available.
a. Normally employees on official travel shall not be required to travel during unreasonable hours if sleeping accommodations are not available on the mode of common carrier transportation used. An employee shall not be expected to use a carrier whose schedule requires boarding or leaving the carrier between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. if there are more reasonable departure or arrival scheduled times that will meet mission requirements.
b. Employees who complete temporary duty assignments at an hour that would necessitate using transportation scheduled to arrive at their official duty station after 10:00 p.m. of that day may delay start of the return travel until the earliest reasonable hour on the ensuing day even though that day is a non-workday. Travel once started shall be performed on a through basis unless interrupted by emergency annual or sick leave.
c. Employees who are required to perform official travel and who arrive at their residences after midnight may be granted an excused absence to provide adequate rest before reporting for work at their permanent duty station. The excused absence shall be one (1) hour for each whole hour or part thereof in a travel status after midnight, but not to exceed eight (8) hours.
SECTION 14.06 Employees required to perform authorized overtime services beyond the regularly scheduled workday while on temporary duty shall be compensated in accordance with applicable rules and regulations and Article 13 of this Agreement.
SECTION 14.07 When requested by the employee, Management agrees to advance travel funds up to the maximum extent authorized by applicable laws and regulations.
SECTION 14.08 Management agrees that any injury suffered by an employee while on required travel or temporary duty status shall be compensated in accordance with existing laws and regulations. The injured employee shall be advised of all related rights and benefits under the Federal Employees Compensation Act.
SECTION 14.09 Employees who have questions concerning travel voucher claims they have submitted should first discuss the matter with the responsible official in the Travel Section. If not satisfied, the employee may refer the complaint to the Chief, Financial Management Division for reply. If the complaint is submitted in writing, the employee shall receive a written response. Travel voucher claims that are not resolved through this procedure may be submitted by the employee as a formal claim to the General Accounting Office.
SECTION 14.10 If NASA or Center Management calls a meeting necessitating travel by Bargaining Unit employees, travel expenses will be paid in accordance with applicable regulations. For the purpose of other Government sponsored labor-management meetings, or IFPTE sponsored meetings which are in the Government's interest (see Article 9, Section 9.10 of this Agreement), the parties will meet to discuss authorization of per diem and travel expenses, as necessary for attendance.
SECTION 14.11 Management agrees to process travel vouchers in as expeditious a manner as possible so that out-of-pocket payments by employees for official travel expenses may be reimbursed in a timely manner. Employees are responsible for submitting travel vouchers to their supervisors as soon as possible.
SECTION 14.12 Management shall make reasonable efforts to notify employees of the final disposition of travel requests not less than seventy-two (72) hours before the scheduled start of travel where practical.
SECTION 14.13 Employees who wish to travel by other than the preferred mode must request approval for their personal preference. Such approval will not be unreasonably withheld. Should a dispute arise, such dispute shall be subject to the Negotiated Grievance Procedure (Article 16) of this Agreement.
SECTION 14.14 Employees may request annual leave in conjunction with official travel. Such requests for annual leave must be reasonable and properly documented and justified in the travel authorization package in accordance with GMI 9710.1E, Enclosure J. Such requests will not be unreasonably denied.
SECTION 14.15 In the event that an employee is required to travel within the local commuting area and transportation has not been arranged, the employee will contact the vehicle coordinator to determine if a Government vehicle is available.
In the event that a Government vehicle is not available, and it is determined by the supervisor that the trip cannot be delayed until Government transportation becomes available and the employee is authorized to use his/her privately owned vehicle, the employee can request reimbursement for mileage at the rate in effect at the time of travel using Standard Form (SF) 1164. Multiple trips can be claimed on each SF 1164.
