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Defense Travel System (DTS) Frequently Asked Questions

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023 – Air Force Reserve Command continues preparations to fully implement Defense Travel System Oct. 1, 2023 and transition away from legacy programs for its travel management needs.

Once implemented, the initiative is intended to reduce delays in processing since members will no longer have to rely on financial management specialists who are hundreds of miles away to review and approve vouchers for payment.

The following questions and answers are intended to assist Citizen Airmen as the Air Force Reserve Command transitions to increased use of the Defense Travel System effective Oct. 1, 2023.

Q. What is DTS? A: The Defense Travel System (DTS) is a fully integrated, automated, end-to-end travel management system that enables DoD travelers to create authorizations (TDY travel orders), prepare reservations, receive approvals, generate travel vouchers, and receive a split reimbursement between their bank accounts and the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC).

Q: Why are we moving to DTS when My Travel will be mandatory in 2 years? A: Officials at AFRC are taking steps now to address longstanding Program, Policy and Training issues associated with official travel that are hindering the readiness for Citizen Airmen. Recent guidance was released that we will not be moving to MyTravel. Moving to DTS falls in line with the CAFR’s strategic priorities of “Ready Now” and “Transforming for the Future.” We are seeking to alleviate stressors on our Airmen now, which impacts readiness and retention.

Q: How will this change affect Citizen Airmen? A: AFRC is consolidating to a single platform for most all travel needs. Currently, we use AROWS-R to generate an AF Form 938 which populates with travel information and is our travel document for TDYs Annual Tour, MPA/RPA, etc. Once the change is implemented, the command will shift over entirely to DTS. The AF Form 938 will still be populated to “call Reservists to Active Duty via AROWS-R. However, it will not be used as a travel order as it been previously. The travel order will now be produced on a DD Form 1610 (generated in DTS).

Q. Who can I contact for assistance or questions concerning DTS? A: Every unit has an appointed Lead Defense Travel Administrator (LDTA). They are responsible to assist you in setting up your DTS account and ensuring you are receiving the proper DTS training and support. An Organization Defense Travel Administrator (ODTA) can also assist you to prepare an authorization and voucher.

Q: When can I expect more guidance on the transition to DTS? A: Officials at Air Force Reserve Command are providing guidance to Financial Management sections at units now so they can serve as local subject matter experts. They will also begin training LDTAs and ODTAs on the new functions that will be performed in DTS as part of the transition.

Q: What steps should I be taking today to prepare for the transition? A: Begin using DTS now. Log into DTS now and establish your profile. [Wing FMs} Prepare internal deadlines to and initiate measures to guide Airmen who are accustomed to using RTS on the new process.

Q: How is the command planning on implementing the change to DTS for all travel requirements? A: The goal is to fully transition to DTS by 1 Oct 23 with minor exceptions (i,e. attendance at BMT and PCS travel). Traditional Reservists and IMAs on MPA orders will follow guidance implemented Oct 22. The AF Form 938 will still be generated in AROWS-R and required for activation regardless of funding source (RPA, MPA, etc) after the 1 Oct transition.

Q: How are DTS documents processed? A: Documents are submitted, processed, and approved at the organization responsible for funding the travel. Once approved by the organizational approving official, the payment is electronically sent to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) for payment via electronic funds transfer (EFT) to the traveler’s bank account.

Q: Will Air Reserve Technicians maintain dual profiles? A: Due to multiple business rule requirements, ARTs will maintain dual profiles.

Commander Support Staff

Q: What does the transition to DTS mean for employees in a unit’s CSS who typically generate orders? Will CSS representatives still produce orders or will the member be responsible for all aspects of the process? A: CSS/Orders writers will continue to generate orders in AROWS-R (AF Form 938) to bring members into a duty status. All travel will be accomplished in DTS (by the member).

Q: Is this statement still required on the AF Form 938? Alternate means such as Secure Video Teleconference (SVTC) or other web-based communications are not sufficient to accomplish travel objectives Development Team meetings of this size because the force development process requires significant, dedicated time for discussion and hands-on record reviews, and placement of students to correct courses. A: Yes

Q: Is UTAPS still required to forecast AT and IDTs or is UTAPS also sunsetting on 1 Oct 23? A: The transition to DTS will not effect UTAPS current requirements or processes.

DTS Use and Functions

Q: We have aircrew members who fly missions as a group. Does DTS allow personnel to submit a group authorization & voucher? A: Group authorization and group voucher training is available on the DTMO site.

Q: Does the AF Form 938 have to be processed and approved prior to initiating a travel authorization in DTS? A: Yes, the AF Form 938 needs to be attached to the DTS authorization for approval/authorization.

Q: DD Form 1610s have historically been created in AROWS-R. Will the DTS authorization replace the 1610 orders request? A: Yes. Members will be able to print their own DD Form 1610 after initiating their authorization in DTS. DD Form 1610s will be generated in DTS with the ability to print from the authorization.

Q: Travel is being turned of in AROWS-R soon. When members build their authorizations, will they have to select a budget label to coincide with their type of duty? A: Yes, the traveler or person creating the DTS authorization will select the Accounting/Budget label for accepted travel expenses.

Q: Will the new DTS transition allow for filing local vouchers within DTS? A: Yes, local vouchers will be filed in DTS.

Q: Will there be another step or review put in place on the authorizations to ensure the proper funding is being used depending on the status of the member as listed on the AF 938. A: Yes, Resource Advisors (RAs) can be added to the routing list if the unit chooses.

Q: Will Traditional Reservists (TRs) be responsible for building their own travel authorizations? A: Yes, end users will be responsible for building their own authorizations in DTS.

Q: Will DTS be updated to include “other mileage” rate? A: Officials at AFRC/FM are working through this process. Contact your local FM representative if you have questions on this issue.

Q: Can you please elaborate on why AROWS-R was not kept “as is” and adjustments made to simply route all applicable RTS orders to DTS? A: The move to take travel out of AROWS-R into DTS was a corporate decision. Separating the process of placing a member in military status (AF Form 938) and the travel process (DD Form 1610) better aligns the Reserve with Active Duty.

Q: Since we are not to use travel days for our AROWS-R requests, do units need to resubmit AROWS requests for FY24 that have already been submitted? For example, I have a member who signed up for school from 27 Nov 23 to 7 Dec 23 with a travel day at the beginning and end of the TDY. Do I need to cancel this order? A: Yes, all orders that were routed and approved without the manual workaround should be cancelled and resubmitted in AROWS-R using the new “Corporate City Limits” process.

Q: Is it possible to MOD those orders that were created previously and labeled as RTS? A: Orders currently routing to RTS should not be curtailed, MOD’d or cancelled. The change is for orders starting on or after 1 Oct 23 unless transitioned earlier.

Q: If an order that includes travel crosses over into FY24, should the unit cancel the order 30 Sep 23 and start a new one in its place? A: Any orders that started in AROWS-R for processing in RTS in FY23 and cross over into the new fiscal year should finish and be filed in RTS.

Budget and Lines of Accounting

Q: What DTS label will MPA mileage only orders use to tale the place of FC30 in PBAS? A: Use the same LOA as the other travel items on the authorization.

Q: Will DTS offer two Lines Of Accounting for centrally funded schools when members are authorized rental cars with a unit funded school LOA? A: Yes, DTS will accommodate multiple LOAs.

Q: If orders are mileage only then the LOA will not import into DTS. I have many active fund cites in AROWS. Will I have to build all those in DTS now? A: There will not be an import. Local vouchers will be processed for mileage only. We are working with the Budgets to see what level the LOAs need to be built at to allow the least amount of lines to be manually created.

Q: If non-corporate limits orders are cut as corporate (mileage only) will the travel obligate when the authorization is approved in DTS or when the DTS voucher is filed? I’m concerned with following the money on my SOF. A: Corporate Limits does not create any travel expense entitlement. This is the workaround to remove travel from AROWS-R without extensive programming. Additionally, for mileage only, the obligation will occur when the member submits a local voucher in DTS.

Q: Will Special Partial Payments be an option (to alleviate the member from having to file every 30 days)? A: Yes. DTS has an option in the authorization (for 46+ day orders) to schedule partial payments. As long as a voucher is not initiated, members can go into DTS and adjust their partial payments, as needed. Training available in Defense Travel System (DTS) Guide 2: Authorizations (pg. 80)

Q: From what we understand currently, any order that is under 45 days will not have the option in DTS to make partial payments. So, if a member is on a long tour order over 31 days but less than 45 and goes TDY multiple times while on that order, he/she will not be able to get paid for any of those trips until after the order is over and voucher submitted. A: If each TDY is a separate trip and return to PDS or Home Of Record between trips, the members should create a DTS authorization for the intent of the trave required – voucher will be created after trip competition.

Q: Officials at AFRC are going to turn travel off in AROWS-R effective 1 Oct 2023. When members build their authorizations, will they have to select a budget label to coincide with their type of duty? A: Yes, the traveler or person creating the DTS Authorization will select the Accounting/Budget Label for associated travel expenses

Q: Since mileage will not be paid through MILPAY anymore, will the mileage cost be obligated through DEAMS and if the member doesn’t want to complete a voucher for the mileage only will that cost show up on the UOO report? A: Mileage only will be a local voucher. Local vouchers will straight pay from the LOA in DEAMS, no UOO will be established. Additionally, Mileage Only is on the “Processes under Review” list – more to follow.

Q; If non-corporate limits orders are cut as corporate (mileage only) will the travel obligate when the authorization is approved in DTS or when the DTS voucher is filed? I’m concerned with following the money on my Status of Funds (SOF). A: Corporate Limits does not create any travel expense entitlement. This is the workaround to remove travel from AROWS-R without extensive programming. Additionally, for mileage only, the obligation will occur when the member submits a local voucher in DTS.

Q: If orders previously created are labeled as RTS during this transition, as you stated orders won’t stop, but is there a way to mod the original order to state DTS instead? A: Orders currently routing to RTS now should not be curtailed, mod’d, or cancelled. This change is for orders starting on or after 1 Oct 2023 unless transitioned earlier

Q: Are MOB/ACT orders going to be done the same way or will the FGC be loading the Auth in DTS since they do the 938? A: There will be no change to this process

Q: Regarding long tour orders: if duty crosses over into FY24, should the orders end in AROWS on 9/30 then pick it up in DTS starting 10/1? A: If a tour starts in AROWS you will continue the order in AROWS. (Note: Depending on the tour length, it may be deemed a Permanent Change of Station and PCS orders will not be processed in DTS).

Q: Who is copying/loading the budget in September/October? Are units responsible for this? A: Yes, units are responsible. FM shops are responsible for loading and maintaining budgets in DTS.

Authorizations

Q: How do I check the status of my authorization? A: Check document status by logging in to DTS. Go to “Official Travel” vouchers or authorization, and then look in the “Sort by Status” column. Or, go to the digital signature page within the document. If you can’t access to DTS, contact your Defense Travel Administrator (DTA) to check the status of your document. Find out from your supervisor who the DTA is for your organization.

Q: Why isn’t the Authorization built automatically in DTS like before (from AROWS-R)? A: AROWS-R will no longer “flow” into DTS and create an authorization. AROWS-R will be creating the “Call to Duty” AF938. This will be used to put a TR/IR in “active” status, and establish Military Pay. The AF938 will no longer serve as a travel authorization, so the “flow” to DTS will no longer exist. The 1610 (Travel Authorization document) will be generated in DTS when the authorization is built by the member (or the ODTA).

Q: What if: Member travels on a Sunday and performs Annual Tour Duty on Monday thru Thursday. On Friday, the member does an RMP and Saturday and Sunday are UTA days. The next Monday and Tuesday are back on Annual Tour. Wednesday is a AFTP day and member then departs the base on Wednesday and returns home. A: The orders specialist needs to zero out per diem and lodging for the days not on AT. The travel and “in-place” can be placed on one authorization. As with any authorization and voucher, be sure to add comments before signing so the reviewer and approver have an understanding of your specific situation. Lodging will not be included in the authorization since UTA lodging is a direct bill (Sunday night lodging can be manually adjusted if needed). The rest of the travel per diem can be established as usual. The zeroed out days will be achieved by selecting “Duty Days (no per diem). See link for quick instructional video

Q: What’s the process or workaround if we have members who don’t have CAC enabled computers at home? Several members don’t necessarily have the funds to purchase personal computers to ensure they can stay connected with the Reserve’s administrative processes. A: This will be a local decision for Wing CCs and likely to vary but can be completed by an NDEA. Defense Travel System regulations state NDEAs are authorized to input and digitally sign DTS vouchers for travelers who do not reasonably have access to computers.

Q: Who is considered FM for FM review where IDT travel reimbursement is concerned? Does this refer to those physically in the FM office or those who are FM coded? A: For the FM review, the person must actually be in the FM office.

Q: How will we track IDT trips in DTS per member to ensure they do not exceed 12? A: The process of tracking the number of IDT-Rs paid out to each member can be tracked by local policy/procedure.

Q: Will the LOA name for the IDT-R be up to the organization? If so, is it safe to assume the name could be different from other organizations? A: IDT-R Lines Of Accounting and routing lists will be established locally (not by AFRC).

Q: Is there a permission group that can be added to DTS for Read-Only visibility of unit members and where the vouchers are currently to verify if the vouchers moved as opposed to permission 5 that allows edits to the vouchers? A: No, Wing DTS Points Of Contact have access to reports to monitor document status. Members have the ability to view where their voucher is at any time. To do so, members simply need to open the voucher in DTS , click “View” on the applicable voucher and select “Sign and Submit” to get to the screen that shows the routing list and where the voucher is currently.

Q: Will there be another step or review put in place on the authorizations to ensure the proper funding is being utilized depending on the status the member is on as reflected on the AF Form 938 or ART/AGR status? A: Resource Advisors can be added to the routing list is the unit so chooses.

Inactive Duty Travel Reimbursement

Q: When it comes to meal expenses on IDT-R travel days, do we select the “Create Your Own Expense” line item or is there something more specific to this circumstance coming later? A: Until further notice, IDT-R meal expenses will be entered as a “Create Your Own Expense” line item.

Q: For IDTs, are members going to be charged CTO fees to book flights? The $500 usually doesn’t cover my providers flight and parking fee, so that would be an additional expense they would have to pay out of pocket.

Q: Reservists assigned to the Development & Training Flight are authorized IDT travel when attending UTAs prior to departing for Basic Military Training. Their Common Access Card will not allow them to access to complete required tasks. The ODTA could build their authorization but will not be able to sign the voucher. How will these individuals be able to finalize their vouchers to receive payments? A: IDT travel reimbursement for D&TF trainees will remain as it is currently which is within RTS.

Q: It appears IDT travel outside of normal commute will transition to DTS. Does this mean the Form 1164 is going away or will members still use it to request lodging reimbursement when not on the critical AFSC listing? A: Yes, the Form 1164 is going away. Additional guidance is provided in the updated IDT-R Guide (located on the AFRC/FM SharePoint site). Members will use a local voucher in DTS in lieu of a paper Form 1164. If a member is not on the approved IDT-R list, they will follow the normal process for securing lodging based on local policies/procedures. This process will not change.

Local Defense Travel Administrator/Organizational Defense Travel Administrator Functions Q: Every Air Force Reserve organization is authorized a position for a LDTA. Does that include tenant units (such as a unit that is being hosted by another AFRC unit)? A: As of 10 Aug 23, GSU/tenant locations who work under separate OBANs will be given the FDTA role to manage their funding in DTS.

Q: Tenants don’t have FDTAs – who will be responsible for loading the travel lines and funding? A: Wing LDTA/FMA offices will be loading LOAs and funding in DTS.

Q: Will AFRC FM train participation specialists on how to cut orders, FM Final Certifiers to review/approve orders, RPA and O&M Budget Analysts on when/how funds will be committed/obligated/move through the various accounting stages in DEAMS? A: AFRC FM will train the LDTAs on loading budgets in DTS. FM will be responsible for training their Wing establishing local policy and training their Wing on the process.

Q: Will the FMA side become FDTAs and have the responsibility of managing that function, or will we have the LDTA manage the LOA and budget label maintenance? A: It has been identified that the best practice is to have LDTAs/FMAs build LOAs in DTS and load funding for their Wing.

Orders/AF Form 938s Q: If orders previously created are labeled as RTS during this transition and will still be in effect, is there a way to MOD the initial order to route to DTS instead? A: Orders currently routing to RTS now should not be curtailed, modified or cancelled. This change is for orders starting on or after Oct. 1, 2023 unless transitioned earlier.

Q: Are MOB/ACT orders going to be generated the same way or will the Force Generation Center load the authorization in DTS since they produce the AF 938 for deployers? A: There will be no change to this process.

Q: If duty crosses over into FY24 on long tour orders, should the orders end in AROWS-R on Sept. 30, 2023 and then pick up in DTS on Oct. 1, 2023? A: If a tour starts in AROWS-R, it should be continued in AROWS-R (Depending on the tour length, it may be a PCS and PCS orders are not processed in DTS).

Q: What is the approximate amount of time it will take for a voucher to be paid after a member submits in DTS (Note: question is specifically asking the amount of time it will take from when the voucher is submitted by the member and not when it is AO approved until payment is received)? A: After a voucher is approved, members can expect payment within 3-5 business days. The amount of time it takes routing to Reviewer and Approver will vary by unit.

Special Circumstances (Deployments, Basic Military Training, etc.)

Q: What is the reason that deployment orders will not be moving to DTS? Is there an identified reason that is not allowing for it? AD creates the CED authorization directly in DTS; shouldn’t we as well? A: Deployments are on the “Processes under Review” list – more to come.

Q: When “review” for IDT reimbursement was mentioned, does that require utilization of the “process name” routing the way the Travel Agency book/submit steps are constructed or will units have to make an IDT routing list that includes FM review? A: AFRC/FM is still working through this process (suggesting the possibility of each unit creating IDT routing lists).

Q: For any member whose AFSC qualifies for the IDT reimbursement (up to $500) for residing outside the commuting distance for UTAs, will their reimbursement request be processed through the DTS “Local Voucher?” A: Yes, this will be processed in DTS. Officials from AFRC/FM are still working this issue.

Story by Lt. Col. James Wilson 919th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

The Defense Travel System (DTS): An Overview

Julie Provost

Dts: informational guide for the defense travel system.

Table of Contents

The prospect of traveling and seeing the world is one of many draws of service in our nation’s military. Whether if it is changing duty stations, going on a deployment or for official business, such as training or retirement out-processing; travel is a reality for both military members and Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian personnel.  The Defense Travel System (DTS) is a fully integrated, automated, end-to-end travel management system that enables United States Department of Defense travelers to create authorizations, Temporary Duty Travel (TDY) orders, prepare reservations, receive approvals, generate travel vouchers, and receive a split reimbursement between their bank accounts and the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) vendor. DTS operates at over 9,500 total sites worldwide, and on average, DTS processes more than 25,000 transactions while approximately 100,000 unique users access it daily. The traveler can access DTS via a single web portal available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

What Is DTS?

DTS provides full functionality, accessibility, and security when processing travel documents. You may search for airline, hotel, car rental, and rail availability as well as gather other details to plan a trip. Real-time reservations for air, lodging, and rental cars are built into DTS to provide easy access to commercial travel service information. The system streamlines workflow and processes to improve efficiency and productivity.  DTS meets the major functional requirements of the DoD and serves the needs of all users and travelers. A Common Access Card (CAC) is needed to access the site. The following is a short informational guide on three areas of DTS that tend to create conflict for DoD personnel.

Logging Into DTS

Logging Into DTS. Before you can access DTS, you will need to ensure your web browser is fully compatible, obtain a digital PKI certificate and contact your Defense Travel Administrator (DTA) about setting up an account. You must have an active DTS profile to log into DTS . Although you can create your own profile as part of the login process, your organization may prefer to have a DTA create a profile for you. Note: If you unintentionally create a self-registration profile, you can remove the entry. The most common reason for profile rejection is entering the wrong DTS Organization. If you enter the wrong organization, your self-registration request routes to the incorrect DTA, who does not know you, so the DTA will not accept the request. The DTA will reject the submission, providing comments explaining you selected the wrong organization, and advise you to contact your DTA or supervisor for assistance. Once you make the corrections, re-submit the profile. Your Component Representatives can also provide more information on DTS. You can find contact information for your Component Representatives here .  For more info, please go here .

Creating an Authorization

Creating an Authorization. A DTS authorization captures information regarding an upcoming TDY (locations, should-cost estimates, and travel information). Essentially, the authorization is a means of informing everyone who needs to know when you will be gone, where you will be working, and how much you expect your trip to cost. When you create a TDY authorization in DTS, the system accesses database information from your DTS personal profile, your organization’s budget, and DoD travel regulations to help streamline the document creation process.  For more info, please go here .

Creating a Voucher

Creating a Voucher. A voucher is a claim for reimbursement of actual expenses you incurred and payment of allowances you earned while you were TDY. When you create a voucher in DTS, the system populates it with information from your approved DTS authorization. DTS lets you create a voucher before or during your TDY, but you cannot sign it until your trip is complete. DoD policy mandates travel voucher submission within five working days of returning from TDY. Information on authorizations includes (by design) cost estimates and assumptions about an upcoming trip. Since the voucher must always reflect accurate cost and trip information, you must update the voucher from estimated charges to actuals based upon the trip. In other words, your primary responsibility on a voucher is to make changes to it. Note: DoD travelers must stay within the constraints of the authorization order, unless otherwise authorized by the Authorizing Official (AO). Failure to follow this guideline could result in out-of-pocket expenses at cost to the traveler , that may not get reimbursed.

DTS Training. In addition to providing a wide variety of on-demand and scheduled training, the Defense Travel Management Office (DTMO) publishes many useful resources such as Manuals, Guides, and Trifolds that clarify many aspects of official travel.

DTMO offers both web-based Training and Distance Learning for DoD personnel. All courses are offered through Travel Explorer (TraX). To access TraX, users must register through Passport, DTMO’s web portal. DTS can be a complicated system, however, with the resources and training provided by the DTMO, the DoD traveler can ensure that travel pay is one stress they do not have to worry about.

https://dtsproweb.defensetravel.osd.mil/dts-app/pubsite/all/view/

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About the author

Julie Provost is a freelance writer, and blogger. She lives in Tennessee with her National Guard husband and three boys.

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Hours of Work for Travel

Fact sheet: hours of work for travel, description.

In limited circumstances, travel time may be considered hours of work. The rules on travel hours of work depend on whether an employee is covered by or exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). For FLSA-exempt employees, the crediting of travel time as hours of work is governed under title 5 rules-in particular, 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) and 5544(a)(3) and 5 CFR 550.112(g) and (j). For FLSA-covered employees, travel time is credited if it is qualifying hours of work under either the title 5 rules or under OPM's FLSA regulations-in particular, 5 CFR 551.401(h) and 551.422.

Employee Coverage

Title 5 overtime laws and regulations apply to most FLSA-exempt Federal employees, including General Schedule and prevailing rate employees. Certain employees, such as members of the Senior Executive Service, are not eligible for overtime pay or other premium pay under title 5. (See 5 U.S.C. 5541(2) and 5 CFR 550.101 for coverage rules.)

OPM's FLSA regulations apply to most FLSA-covered Federal employees. (See 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) and 5544(a)(3) and 5 CFR 551.102.) An employee may determine his or her FLSA status by checking block 35 of the most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) to find out whether his or her position is nonexempt (N) or exempt (E) from the overtime pay provisions of the FLSA. Alternatively, an employee may obtain a determination from his or her servicing personnel office.

Overtime Work

In general, overtime hours are hours of work that are ordered or approved (or are "suffered or permitted" for FLSA-covered employees) and are performed by an employee in excess of 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a workweek. (See 5 U.S.C. 5542(a), 5544(a), and 6121(6) and (7), and 5 CFR 550.111 and 551.501. Note exceptions.)

Travel That is Hours of Work Under Title 5

Under 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) and 5 CFR 550.112(g), official travel away from an employee's official duty station is hours of work if the travel is-

• within the days and hours of the employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek, including regularly scheduled overtime hours, or
• involves the performance of work while traveling (such as driving a loaded truck);
• is incident to travel that involves the performance of work while traveling (such as driving an empty truck back to the point of origin);
• is carried out under arduous and unusual conditions (e.g., travel on rough terrain or under extremely severe weather conditions); or
• results from an event that 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).

An agency may not adjust an employee's normal regularly scheduled administrative workweek solely to include travel hours that would not otherwise be considered hours of work.

Travel That is Hours of Work Under the FLSA

For FLSA-covered employees, time spent traveling is hours of work if-

• an employee is required to travel during regular working hours (i.e., during the regularly scheduled administrative workweek);
• an employee is required to work during travel (e.g., by being required to drive a Government vehicle as part of a work assignment);
• an employee is required to travel as a passenger on a 1-day assignment away from the official duty station; or
• an employee is required to travel as a passenger on an overnight assignment away from the official duty station during hours on nonworkdays that correspond to the employee's regular working hours. (See 5 CFR 551.422(a).)

Official Duty Station

"Official duty station" is defined in 5 CFR 550.112(j) and 551.422(d). An agency may prescribe a mileage radius of not greater than 50 miles to determine whether an employee's travel is within or outside the limits of the employee's official duty station for determining entitlement to overtime pay for travel.

Administrative Workweek

An administrative workweek is a period of 7 consecutive calendar days designated in advance by the head of an agency under 5 U.S.C. 6101. The regularly scheduled administrative workweek is the period within the administrative workweek during which the employee is scheduled to work in advance of the administrative workweek. (See definitions in 5 CFR 610.102. See also 5 CFR 550.103 and 551.421.)

Commuting Time

For FLSA-covered employees, normal commuting time from home to work and from work to home is not hours of work. (See 5 CFR 551.422(b).) However, commuting time may be hours of work to the extent that the employee is required to perform substantial work under the control and direction of the employing agency-i.e., productive work of a significant nature that is an integral and indispensable part of the employee's principal activities. The fact that an employee is driving a Government vehicle in commuting to and from work is not a basis for determining that commuting time is hours of work. (See Bobo decision cited in the References section.)

Similarly, for FLSA-exempt employees, normal commuting time from home to work and from work to home is not hours of work. (See 5 CFR 550.112(j)(2).) However, commuting time may be hours of work to the extent that the employee is officially ordered or approved to perform substantial work while commuting.

Normal "home-to-work/work-to-home" commuting includes travel between an employee's home and a temporary duty location within the limits of the employee's official duty station. For an employee assigned to a temporary duty station overnight, normal "home-to-work/work-to-home" commuting also includes travel between the employee's temporary place of lodging and a work site within the limits of the temporary duty station.

If an employee (whether FLSA-covered or exempt) is required to travel directly between home and a temporary duty location outside the limits of the employee's official duty station, the time the employee would have spent in normal commuting must be deducted from any hours of work outside the regularly scheduled administrative workweek (or, for FLSA covered employees, outside corresponding hours on a nonwork day) that may be credited for the travel time. (The travel time is credited as hours of work only as allowed under the applicable rules-e.g., for an FLSA-covered employee, if the travel is part of a 1-day assignment away from the official duty station.)

• 5 U.S.C. 5542(b)(2) (General Schedule employees)
• 5 U.S.C. 5544(a)(3) (Prevailing rate employees)
• 5 CFR 550.112(g) and (j), 610.102, and 610.123
• 5 CFR 551.401(h) and 551.422 (OPM's FLSA regulations)
• Decision by United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, Jerry Bobo v. United States , 136 F.3rd 1465 (Fed. Cir. 1998) affirming Court of Federal Claims decision of same name, 37 Fed. Cl. 690 (Fed. Cl. 1997).
• Section 4 of the Portal-to-Portal Act of 1947 (61 Stat. 84) as amended in 1996 by section 2102 of Public Law 104-188. (See 29 U.S.C. 254.)

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Travel guide:

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about booking travel, how to book flights or rail, enter your destination, then origin.

• Go to Concur at travel.gsa.gov
• In the shortcuts menu on the upper left hand corner, select Travel - New Booking
• Click on the Air/Rail icon (this should be already selected). If you need to travel by train only, choose the Rail icon instead.

*Note: If you need to travel by both air and rail, call AdTrav at (877) 472-6716 and they will make your reservations for you. An hour after your call, skip ahead to this step to submit your AdTrav reservation for approval.

*Note: The destination city is entered before the departure city

• Click Search to move onto the next screen.

How to Choose a Flight

When choosing flights, you may notice they fall into four different categories:

• Govt. Contract Discounted: the preferred option. In general, these fares are only available 15 or more days in advance, so try to book your travel as early as possible.
• Govt. Contract: the standard option, based on the city pair rate , the agreed upon rate for government flights between two cities. These are preferred if no govt. contract discounted fares are available.
• Non-contract Government: these fares are also acceptable to book if the timing is more advantageous. All these fares are within the City Pair rate and are fully refundable. No additional approvals are required to book a non-contract government fare.
• Lowest published: while these fares may come at a lower cost than the contract options, they also come at increased risk to the government because many of these fares are nonrefundable. Any flight that is nonrefundable must be explicitly approved by the authorizing official before the TTS travel team can approve. If you think that choosing a "Lowest published" nonrefundable fare is your best option, skip ahead to securing your approval email now , and then come back to book later. You'll want to ensure you secure the approval before you book because these fares expire quickly, often before authorizing official and travel team approval can be reasonably obtained.

*Note about flights with policy violations:

If you need to take a flight which indicates a policy violation, the type of violation will inform what steps you need to take next. Click on "View Fares" to pull up additional details about your flight selection.

If any part of the fare that you chose is nonrefundable, or exceeds the City Pair rate (note that lookup values here are for one-way fares), you will need an additional email approving the risk of nonrefundable airfare and/or additional costs from your authorizing official sent to [email protected].

What justifies using a non-contract fare?

• Select the lowest cost, most compliant fare available by clicking on the blue button at right with the price. This will take you onto the confirmation page.

• This will take you to the Trip Overview . This page also lists your current reservations.

By choosing "I will book a hotel now." you will be allowed to book your hotel directly in Concur. Before doing so, please ensure that your travel card is saved in your Concur profile .

Book lodging

*Note : If you don't have a travel card yet, make sure that you've applied for one (it is required by GSA policy), then choose "I will book a hotel later". Call AdTrav at (877) 472-6716 to reserve your hotel (and rental car if needed) on your personal card in the meantime. Assuming you've already booked your flight or train in Concur, mention the authorization number associated with your itinerary so you don't get a second overlapping authorization for your hotel and/or rental car. You can verify your authorization number by going to the "Authorizations" tab in Concur and finding the number in blue on the left side associated with your travel dates. An hour after you call with AdTrav, proceed on to completing trip information .

How to Book a hotel in Concur

*Note: if you are coming back to this step after going back to the main menu of Concur, make sure your saved authorization is selected, go to Travel Home , reopen your itinerary, and then choose "Hotel" under "Add to your Itinerary".

*If you didn't need to book flights or rail, you can go to the Travel tab of Concur and make your reservations selecting the "hotel only" option.

Enter check-in and check-out dates, location, any preferred hotels, and then click next.

Confirm the per diem location and click next. The maximum lodging rate and M&IE allowance is indicated below.

Choose a hotel from the list of search results. Unless you have approval otherwise, or intend to pay for the difference in price personally, sure that you pick a hotel with a nightly rate equal to or less than the government maximum for the area listed here . In the side bar you can filter your search results to only those under the Per diem rate by checking Hide hotels over Per Diem limit ($XXX.00) .

Click on View Rooms , to view a detailed list of rooms within the hotel and select the room by clicking on the listed price at right.

Review and Reserve Hotel On the review screen:

• Select your hotel room preferences
• Choose a credit card
• Agree to the hotel's rate policies.
• Click on Reserve Hotel and Continue

You will now be taken back to your trip itinerary. Note that the hotel has been added to the flight.

Scroll down and click Next and complete your trip information , or if needed, continue on to reserve a rental car .

Can I book outside of Concur?

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, you should use Concur for all reservations (flights, hotels, and rental cars). If you choose to book a hotel outside of Concur, include a justification that corresponds with one of the following (from the Federal Travel Regulation):

• When you are attending a conference where the conference sponsor has negotiated with one or more lodging facilities to set aside a specific number of rooms for conference attendees and to ensure that a set aside room is available to you, you are required to book lodging directly with the lodging facility.
• When your travel is to a remote location and it is not possible to book lodging accommodations through the TMS or ETS (Concur).
• When such travel arrangements are so complex and circumstance will not allow you to book your travel through an online self-service booking tool (Concur).

If you need to book a hotel outside of Concur, check if booking comes with any nonrefundable fees. If it does, make sure that you get your authorizing official to approve the approximate amount of what is nonrefundable and send the email to [email protected]. Nonrefundable hotel fees that are not pre-approved are the traveler’s liability. Should booking a hotel in Concur or via AdTrav not be possible, , external, Fedrooms offers hotels within government maximum rates that have flexible cancellation policies.

When you are finished booking your hotel, proceed on to complete trip information .

Booking a Rental Car

Before booking a rental car ensure that manager or client who approved your travel explicitly approved budget for a rental car-- in certain situations, rental cars and parking charges are not as advantageous to the government as common carriers such as taxis and/or public transit. Government vehicles may also be available-- check out the guide , external, TTS-only, here for more details.

*If you didn't need to book flights, rail, or hotel, you can go to the Travel tab of Concur and make your reservations selecting the "rental car only" option.

How to Book A Rental Car in Concur

• From the itinerary page, choose "Car" under "Add to your Itinerary" and then select the trip leg when prompted.
• Indicate pick-up and drop-off dates, location(s), car type, and preferred vendor(s).

*Note GSA employees are required to use the lowest cost compact car unless approved for a larger vehicle based on meeting one or more of the justifications listed in FTR §301-10.450(c) .

• Confirm your email address and travel card information, and then Reserve Car and Continue.

Important notes:

Be aware that the rental company you select must participate in the , external, Defense Travel Management Office's (DTMO) Rental Car Program . Rental car companies participating in the program established ceiling rates; unlimited mileage (except for one-way rentals); vehicle contract will be ready upon arrival; if size/class reserved is not available, the company will offer an upgrade at the same cost; no underage drivers’ fee for drivers between the ages of 18-25; no minimum rental period; no cost for additional drivers; and full coverage insurance for damages resulting from an accident while performing official travel.

The Government is self-insured and rental vehicles under the DTMO agreement include full coverage for damages resulting from an accident while performing official travel. Employees on TDY travel within CONUS will not be reimbursed for collision damage waiver (CDW) or theft insurance available on commercial rental contracts. Employees will be reimbursed for collision damage waiver or theft insurance while on TDY in non-foreign areas in accordance with FTR §301-10.451 . Personal liability insurance is considered a personal expense and will not be reimbursed.

Once you have reserved your rental car, continue on to complete trip information .

Questions about securing approvals

Completing trip information.

On the Trip Booking Information page you must enter some general information in order to ensure that your trip gets billed to the right client and/or budget.

*Note: If you called Ad Trav to book travel, you'll need to open Concur about an hour after your initial call to AdTrav, going to the Authorizations tab, clicking on your authorization, and selecting Edit Authorization . This will open up the document, where you can go to the General tab and see the fields that are presented below:

How to Complete Your Trip Information

Trip name: Identify the budget of your trip here, based on the type of project you are traveling for:

• Billable projects: for 18F and CoE, include the exact name and number of the project as it appears in , external, TTS-only, Tock . For PIF billable travel, simply indicate the project is billable.
• All other projects: include the name of the team budget that is paying for this travel (a list of options is in cell C5 of the , external, TTS-only, TTS Budget and Accounting Lookup

*Note: If you are traveling for multiple projects (whether billable or not), list all of the relevant Tock name and numbers and budget names as appropriate.

• BILLABLE: 18F / HHS / CMS FY19 #997
• BILLABLE: CoE / USDA Phase 2 / Cloud Adoption #980
• BILLABLE: PIF - DHS
• NONBILLABLE: OPP Smarter IT Solutions Division (QXD)
• NONBILLABLE: 18F Strategy Branch (QEAD)
• NONBILLABLE: Cloud Adoption CoE

Type Code: "SINGLE TRIP". Trip Purpose: “Mission (Operational)” in most cases, unless attending a conference or training. Document detail: Brief summary of the purpose of the trip. Will this travel be a detail to another location? No.

• Proceed by clicking Next to finalize the reservation.

Additional step if you booked your hotel outside of Concur or Ad Trav

*Note: If you did not book a hotel from Concur, a policy violation will be flagged. If this applies to you, briefly justify your hotel choice .

Additional step if you are extending travel for personal reasons

Deleting hotel expenses which auto-populate on your authorization is relatively straightforward, but an additional step is required to remove M&IE. In some cases, Concur may not allow you to do this on the authorization. If that's the case, proceed as normal and return to this step when creating your voucher after you get back.

How to Justify Rental Cars and Personal Vehicle Mileage

In most cases, you can proceed straight on to stamping and submitting for travel team approval at this point . However, since "common carrier" transit (e.g. public transit, flights, trains, buses, shuttles, taxis, etc) or a , external, TTS-only, government car are the preferred modes of transit for official GSA travel, additional justification is required if you intend to incur the following expenses:

• Rental Cars: You must add a comment on the "Expenses and Receipts" page justifying the use of a rental car as advantageous to the government (considering both cost and time) compared to common carrier transit or a government car.
• Mileage: You must add this in as an expense on the "Expenses and Receipts" page and then justify the mileage claim as advantageous to the government (considering both cost and time) compared to common carrier transit, government car, and rental car. Mileage from your home to the airport (plus associated parking fees or round-trip travel in case of a drop-off) need only be justified as advantageous compared to taxi and public transit, as it is understood that obtaining a government car or rental car is impractical over such a short distance.

How to Stamp and Submit for Travel Team Approval

Following this step will ensure your authorization or voucher is in SUBMIT TO APPROVER status, which is required for your request to be reviewed, approved, and ticketed. Before you submit, you can review , external, this Checklist to ensure you've addressed all potential issues that can result in your request getting rejected or returned for correction.

• Click Document Actions -> Submit Document (in the upper right hand corner of your authorization)
• You will be taken to a document history page. If your “Status to Apply” is “Submit to Approver” , then click Stamp and Submit Document at either the top or the bottom of the page and continue. If not, please correct any other failures.
• The next page will show you your pre-audit results . These will let you know if anything might be awry, which is represented by either a FAIL or a HARDFAIL . Many of these are not a cause for concern as long as you secure approvals in the right way. For a more detailed guide on what to do for each FAIL or HARDFAIL , read on , external, TTS-only, here . As long as you don't have any hardfails, you are clear to Continue Stamping the Document
• If you successfully stamped the document, you be taken to a page with the button Close Post Stamping Document Closure Screen . It doesn’t look like it, but when you see that button, you are done! Your authorization has been submitted. You don’t even have to click the button again (but you can if you want).
• In the case of authorizations, your travel will be approved by the TTS travel team once you have secured approval from your authorizing official . Ensure this is complete by 3:30 PM Eastern, else your travel will not be approved until the next business day. If you require approval after business hours, see the guide for after-hours and emergency travel here .

*For vouchers, your travel will be approved within 3-5 business days.

• Once you have been approved by the TTS travel team, you should receive a notification from Concur. Please note that in most cases, government contract airfare does not ticket until 72 hours before departure , so you may not receive official confirmation of your itinerary until then. Don't worry about this, the TTS travel team is not aware of any situations where approved travelers have not been issued tickets :)

*For vouchers, reimbursement will be issued to your personal account and travel card 3-5 business days after travel team approval. For issues with reimbursement, read on more here

Once your authorization is approved and ticketed, you might want to take a look at what to expect while traveling !

How to secure authorizing official approval

You must formally request your authorizing official's approval* via email and forward it to [email protected], unless you are traveling to a training, conference, speaking event, or other "IRL" or large team gathering, in which case you must follow the event request process instead . Who is my authorizing official? The body of the email must include the following: See an individual template here and a group template here

• Names of individuals traveling What if this changes?
• Start and end dates of travel What if I am extending travel for personal reasons?
• A brief description of work to be done on the trip
• Identified budget that will be paying for the trip How do I identify my budget?
• Origin and destinations for each individual What if I am returning to or traveling from a location other than home?
• Estimated expenses for each individual, including a sufficient budget for local travel and miscellaneous expenses such baggage fees How should I estimate my expenses?
• Include the travel expenses estimator as an image in the body of the email to make the travel approver's life easier.

* Note that in many cases, your engagement manager or team lead may request approval on behalf of the group-- reach out to them before emailing your authorizing official.

Who is my authorizing official and what is my budget?

Your authorizing official must be a supervisor or director at GSA.

If your travel is non-billable , and coming from your team's budget, your authorizing official would be your supervisor or director. If expenses will be paid out of another team's budget (list of budgets available in cell C5 of , external, TTS-only, this sheet ), you will need a supervisor or director from that team to approve.

If your travel is billable , you will need to have the Account Manager of the project or Director of the team overseeing the project verify the budget prior to submitting the travel request. Please use the following process to document the verification:

• Project teams should send travel request(s) with estimated costs via email to the Account Manager
• The Account Manager will reply with either "Approve" or "Reject" and provide additional context if they deem necessary
• Once approved/rejected the Account Manager updates the comment session for the project in Airtable.
• Submit the travel request(s) to the appropriate approver as listed below

The following list provides Concur approvers for billable travel:

• 18F: 1st Line Supervisor (verify with the project's Account Manager first per instructions above)
• 10x: Nico Papafil
• cloud.gov: Ashley Mahan until a new cloud.gov director is selected
• login.gov: Dan Lopez
• Centers of Excellence: Jenny Rostami.

What if I am traveling for multiple projects?

Secure approval from each authorizing official as you would normally, but with an eye on which project will be covering each expense. When completing your trip information in Concur , ensure that either the Trip Name or Document Detail mentions that the travel will be split between multiple projects. If more than one authorizing official has approved expenses for a particular day or leg of the itinerary, clarify which project will be paying for each part of the trip, either via email to [email protected] or comment in the Trip Name or Document Detail sections of Concur. Splitting overall trip costs by a percentage is acceptable as well, as long as the split is agreed upon by all parties.

Another common situation which arises when splitting travel across multiple projects is having days in between, such as a weekend in between travel for two projects. Having official travel approved for the days in between, including weekends or leave is possible as long as the following conditions are met:

• It is not possible to reschedule one of the meetings or events to avoid having days in between.
• Considering both the travel time and overall cost, it is advantageous to the government to pay for the hotel and meals for the time in between rather than the round trip travel cost of having the employee return home.
• One or both authorizing officials agree to cover the costs of the time in between.

* Note that this same situation may arise when travel is required for one project on both sides of a weekend-- the same considerations apply.

How can I get my travel approved to attend a training, conference, speaking event, or other "IRL" or large team gathering*?

Instead of obtaining an email of approval, you must follow the event request process . You may book your travel in the meantime. However, if you will be extending your trip at your own expense , flying to or from points that are not either your duty station or location of the event , or combining your event travel with travel for some other reason, you must secure an email from your authorizing official approving of the revised itinerary.

*The threshold for a large team gathering is over 6 employees traveling for an internal management meeting (not day-to-day business) and/or more than $10,000 in estimated travel expenses for the group. Requests for approval of these events is typically handled by the organizer of the meeting.

What if who is traveling changes?

A follow-up to the original email from the authorizing official indicating who the new travel is, and if there is any change in dates or estimated cost is sufficient.

What if I am extending travel for personal reasons?

Include language that specifies which days will be at your own expense, and acknowledge that "I understand all other travel expenses including lodging and meals before or after the official travel dates specified above are my own responsibility." You may remove hotels and M&IE from your authorization in Concur if you haven't already.

Alternatively, you may book your official travel and have it approved as normal. Once your travel has been approved by the travel team in Concur, you may then call AdTrav at (877) 472-6716 and request to be re-booked on a different flight for personal travel. In the case of most government contract flights, there is no additional charge. However, if there is an additional cost compared to your original itinerary, AdTrav will request you provide a personal credit or debit card number to pay for the difference.

What if I am returning to or traveling from a location other than home?

If you were previously scheduled to be on leave or telework at the other location*, the full cost of travel from or to that location can be approved at the discretion of your authorizing official. Ensure that there is language in the email that reflects your itinerary.

If you'd like to schedule personal travel that's incidental to your work trip (i.e. planned after the work trip), after your official work itinerary has been approved in Concur, you can give AdTrav a call at (877) 472-6716 and request that your itinerary be changed for personal reasons, with you covering any difference in cost that may arise.

*Note that while GSA travel policy doesn't explicitly forbid being approved to travel from a foreign location, travel to or from foreign locations must be requested in Event Tracker for GSA Administrator approval at least 7 weeks in advance, making approval in these circumstances extremely unlikely.

International travel

All official international travel taken by GSA employees, regardless of funding source, requires Salesforce event approval. Please reach out to [email protected] at least 7 weeks in advance in order to coordinate this.

Teleworking from locations outside the U.S. while on personal travel is not allowed.

How should I estimate my expenses

In the case of individual or small group travel, you may estimate your expenses based on the total amount of your authorization in Concur, plus an reasonable allowance for any additional expenses such as taxis, parking, and baggage fees.

For larger group travel, it is recommended to use this , external, TTS-only, travel expenses estimator template which automatically calculates most airfare and per diems.

Questions about reimbursement

How do i create a "voucher from authorization".

Visit Concur at travel.gsa.gov . Click "Vouchers" in the top bar and then "New Voucher" in the next-to-top bar. In the field Document Type, select "Voucher From Authorization" and click Next. You will be led through creating a voucher from your authorization that you got approved prior to traveling.

• Under Document Search, you’ll see a list of your “open” authorizations (i.e. your authorizations that don’t have vouchers yet).
• Hit the pencil button to select the authorization you’d like to be reimbursed for. You will be moved onto the next step, Reviewing and completing trip information on the Document Information screen.
• TIP : If you can't figure out which authorization is your recent trip by name, look at the departure date column.

Once you've selected your authorization and continue, you'll be taken to the Document Information page. This should all be auto-populated, so unless some of the details of your trip changed, no further action is required here and you may continue on to Create Document and start adding your expenses . More guidance on what receipts or justifications are required can be found here

What if I can't find my authorization listed here?

If you can't find your authorization on this list, it may be because an amended authorization was generated for you. If you changed your trip such that trip dates or locations fall outside what was originally approved, you'll need to submit that amended auth for approval by going to the Authorizations tab, selecting the amended authorization corresponding to your trip, and going in to Open Document .

However, in some cases, Concur will generate an amendment in error. If you suspect this is the case, head to the Authorizations tab, select the amended authorization corresponding to your trip, and Delete Document

How do I create a local or miscellaneous voucher?

Upon selecting the Local voucher option, you will be taken to a blank Document Information page. Here's what you need to include for each field:

• Trip Name This should follow the same naming conventions you would use for a travel authorization . Ensure you have an email from your authorizing official approving all of the expenses you'd like to claim sent to [email protected].
• Type code and Trip purpose If the voucher is for local travel (taxis, mileage, etc.), choose Local travel . For any other sort of reimbursement, choose Misc voucher .
• Document detail Enter a brief description of what the reimbursement is for here.
• Click on Create Document

Proceed on to entering your expenses . Note that any local transit over $25 requires a receipt, and all expenses claimed on a miscellaneous voucher require receipts.

How to add, edit or delete expenses

Adding expenses.

Expenses can be added by clicking the Add expense button either above or below. Make sure to save and click the Add expense button again before creating a new expense.

Editing expenses

Expenses can be edited by clicking the pencil button and then making changes on the right hand side. Don't forget to save any changes you make!

Selecting payment type

Make sure you correctly indicate what was paid on the travel card vs personal means of payment to avoid issues with reimbursement .

• Use IBA for anything paid for on the travel card. Not seeing this option? Add your travel card to your Concur profile
• Use CASH for anything paid for using cash or a personal card.
• CBA is only used for air and rail expenses paid through Concur directly.

Attaching receipts

You can attach receipts by clicking on the Add receipt to lodging button (looks like a slip of paper with a checkmark, just to the right of the pencil button for editing expenses.

Deleting expenses

Expenses can be deleted by clicking the checkbox next to the expense and then clicking the Delete selected expenses button either above or below.

When are receipts or further justifications required to claim expenses?

Simple expenses.

The following expenses can be entered as-is without further receipts, written justifications, or other considerations, provided that each expense is under $75:

• Airfare or Amtrak tickets booked through Concur or AdTrav
• Airplane wifi
• Fees for one checked bag per leg of itinerary
• Laundry expenses, if official travel is at least 4 nights
• Tolls, if government car, POV mileage or rental car is pre-approved
• Meals and Incidental Expenses
• Public transit expenses of $25 or less.

Expenses requiring receipts

The following expenses require receipts:

• Flights or Amtrak booked outside of Concur (Requires additional justification and is only approved on a case-by-case basis)
• Rental cars and gas for rental cars (also requires additional justification
• Any other expense exceeding $75, including local transportation (This threshold is $25 for local vouchers)
• Any expenses claimed on a miscellaneous voucher.
• Professional liability insurance

Expenses requiring further justification:

The following expenses don't require receipts, but do require brief descriptions to justify claiming them:

• Local transportation expenses of $75 or less per trip (Metro, taxis, personal vehicle mileage, etc.)
• Checked baggage fees for more than one piece of luggage per leg of your trip.

Questions about entering specific expenses

How should i claim meals and incidental expenses.

• The allowance for Meals and Incidental Expenses (M&IE) is a flat rate given to a traveler regardless of what they actually spent. No receipts or justification is needed to receive M&IE.
• For example : Consider a trip taken between 9/16 and 9/18. M&IE is $69 per day in DC, and is 75% of $69 ($51.75) on the first and last days of a trip. We see that the three days of M&IE has been added automatically.

How should I claim meals paid on the travel card?

When meals are paid on the travel card, there are a few different ways of documenting it:

• One can create a new M&IE expense with expense method IBA in the amount spent on meals per day. The amount of M&IE reimbursed to your personal account will be automatically reduced accordingly (you will see negative charges appear that correspond with this). If you document all expenses correctly, your travel card bill will be paid off exactly.
• One can change the payment method of M&IE expenses to IBA so that all reimbursement is routed to the travel card. If the entire allowance was not used, any amount left over will show up as a positive balance. You may call the customer service number on the back of the card and request that a check be mailed for that remaining amount.
• One can leave the payment method of M&IE expenses as the default, CASH . After the voucher is processed, there will be an outstanding balance remaining. This will need to be paid-- call the customer service number on the back of the card for more details on making a payment.

How can I remove extra days at personal expense from my authorization or voucher?

If you were authorized to extend your trip at your own expense and need to delete M&IE, there are some special instructions that you should follow:

• Edit your first full day of travel at your own expense by clicking on the pencil icon.
• Click on the View Per Diem Conditions . You should see a menu expand below.
• Choose M&IE Override , then Override by amount , and 0 .
• Check On leave . Use Other leave , 8 hours .
• If you are requesting leave for multiple days, return to the top and enter in the last full day you are traveling at personal expense.
• Save. Your M&IE should show as zero for the day. If it didn't work, just go ahead an add in a comment about the days you would like to zero out in the comments field, and the travel team will take that into account when they review your voucher for approval.

How should I claim hotels and lodging taxes?

If you booked a hotel in Concur, your actual hotel expenses should populate automatically. However, that automatic amount will often lump in the taxes, which should be considered a separate list.

First, attach your receipt to the first night of lodging only, unless you have multiple receipts. Note that Concur will flag all expenses needing receipts

Then, correct the lodging expenses so they reflect the actual nightly rate paid, not including taxes.

Finally, add a new expense for lodging taxes in , keeping in mind the following:

• Create Expenses Through: Enter the last night you were checked into the hotel, and each night’s lodging tax will be copied through.
• Expense Date: The night that you checked in.
• Expense Description: Lodging Tax
• Cost: Tax per night (tax can also be reported as a lump sum, though lodging itself must be broken out per night)
• Payment Method: Travel card -> IBA , and other form of payment -> CASH

Don't forget to Save!

How should I claim air or Amtrak booked outside of Concur

Any airfare or Amtrak tickets booked outside of Concur are at your own risk and may not be approved. If you are seeking reimbursement for personally booked airfare or Amtrak, you must choose Other - Miscellaneous as the expense description, and in the comments section under Show other details , you must provide a justification as to why it was not possible for you to book your travel via Concur or AdTrav.

How can I get reimbursed for professional liability insurance?

Supervisors may be reimbursed for up to half the cost of professional liability insurance, up to $150. In order to claim reimbursement, get an email from your supervisor approving the amount of the reimbursement you intend to claim and send it to [email protected]. Then, create a miscellaneous voucher in Concur and attach the receipt you received after purchasing the insurance.

How should I claim local transportation expenses?

For public transit, taxis, rental cars, POV mileage and other forms of local transportation, you may add the expense as normal , choosing whichever expense description reflects the nature of the method used. Choose the payment method used , and upload a receipt only for rental cars, rental car gas, or any other expense greater than $75 (this threshold is $25 for local vouchers .

Any local transit expense other than public transit under $25 requires a brief comment describing the origin and destination of the travel (e.g. "from airport to office").

You can add this by clicking on Show other details and filling out the Comments section that pops up below.

For public transit over $25, a “blanket entry” describing generally the origins and destinations of travel paid for is acceptable.

For rental cars and mileage claims, the comment should also include an additional justification as specified here .

For mileage claims over $75, instead of attaching a receipt, attach a screenshot showing a map of your itinerary with the calculated distance.

Issues with reimbursement

I received a bill for an outstanding balance on my travel card. should i pay it.

A: First, verify that your most recent voucher was paid to the travel card account. Go to the Vouchers tab of Concur, then click on the voucher number you want to view and choose View Summary . In the voucher view, navigate down to the Totals and travel advances section and verify the amount on the Pay to Charge Card line. This amount should match with a payment made to the travel card in your travel card statement. TTS-only, More information about logging into and managing your travel card account. If it does, and there is still a remaining balance, it is likely that you used the travel card to pay for something that was either claimed as CASH on the voucher, or not claimed at all.

If you discover a valid charge to your travel card that you need to be reimbursed for after your voucher is initially approved, you may create an amended voucher .

If you were reimbursed to your bank account for a charge made on your travel card, you will have to pay the bill for it. Contact the number on the back of your travel card for details on how payment can be made.

Positive balance on travel card

If you have a positive balance on the travel card, it is likely that you claimed an expense as paid for on the travel card when you actually paid for it via a personal means of payment. You can call the number on the back of your travel card and request that they mail you a check in the amount of the positive balance.

My reimbursement never arrived!

If it has been over a week after your voucher has been approved and your reimbursement hasn't arrived (whether to your travel card account or personal account), contact [email protected] and describe the issue you are having. cc [email protected].

How do I amend my voucher after it is approved?

To amend a voucher, go to the Vouchers tab of Concur, then click on the voucher number you want to view and choose Amend voucher . Provide a brief reason for the amendment, then proceed with adding your revised expenses and resubmitting for approval . Note that if you want to revise a voucher that has not yet been approved, you can simply Edit Voucher instead of amending.

Note: Vouchers should NOT be amended in the case of revising the payment method ( IBA to CASH or vice versa , or reducing a claim on an already-approved expense. If you were over-reimbursed for something, you will need to mail a check for that amount, made out to GSA to the following address:

USDA-OCFO Financial Operations & Disbursement Branch Attn: Bryan DeLeve - 2SE 2300 Main Street Kansas City, MO 64108

Reference the authorization and voucher number along with the payment.

• , external, TTS-only, #travel
• , external, [email protected]
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Definition of duty

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of duty  (Entry 2 of 2)

function , office , duty , province mean the acts or operations expected of a person or thing.

function implies a definite end or purpose or a particular kind of work.

office is typically applied to the function or service associated with a trade or profession or a special relationship to others.

duty applies to a task or responsibility imposed by one's occupation, rank, status, or calling.

province applies to a function, office, or duty that naturally or logically falls to one.

task , duty , job , chore , stint , assignment mean a piece of work to be done.

task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

Examples of duty in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'duty.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Noun and Adjective

Middle English duete , from Anglo-French deueté, dueté , from deu due

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing duty

• active duty
• beyond the call of duty
• double duty
• duty - free
• duty to retreat
• heavy - duty
• in the line of duty
• line of duty
• report for duty
• succession duty
• temporary duty
• went beyond the call of duty

Dictionary Entries Near duty

Cite this entry.

“Duty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/duty. Accessed 5 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of duty, legal definition, legal definition of duty.

Anglo-French deuté indebtedness, obligation, from deu owing, due, from Old French see due

More from Merriam-Webster on duty

Nglish: Translation of duty for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of duty for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about duty

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• Per Diem Lookup

Temporary Duty (TDY) Travel Policy

1. purpose..

This directive describes the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) policy on the authorization and payment of travel expenses for TDY travel within the Continental United States (CONUS) and non-foreign areas. It contains standards, instructions, and procedures governing the authorization and payment of transportation, per diem, and miscellaneous expenses for employees on official travel in connection with the programs and operations of GSA and conforms with the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), Executive Orders, appropriate statutes, decisions of the Civilian Board of Contract Appeals (CBCA), and determinations of the Administrator of General Services. This directive provides agency policy regarding travel allowances as required by FTR part 301-70.

2.  Scope and Applicability.

     a.  This directive applies to all GSA organizations, programs, and personnel, including all Services, Staff Offices, and Regions. This Order applies to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to the extent that the OIG determines it is consistent with the OIG’s independent authority under the Inspector General Act and does not conflict with other OIG policies or the OIG mission. This Order applies to CBCA to the extent that the CBCA determines it is consistent with the CBCA’s independent authority under the Contract Disputes Act and applicable Federal Court decisions and does not conflict with other CBCA policies or its mission.

     b.  This directive supplements the FTR and is issued under the authority of the FTR.  Supervisors, approval authorities, and employees must still consult the FTR to ensure compliance with the regulations and internal GSA policies not specifically addressed in this supplement. Employees should consult OAS 5765.1A, GSA Non-Federal Source (NFS) Travel Policy ; OAS 5775.1 CHGE 2, Foreign Travel Policy ; OAS 5785.1C, Conference and Event Management ; OAS 5740.1 CHGE 2, Government Travel Charge Card Program and OAS 5735.1 CHGE 1, Travel Advances for internal policy on those specific topics.

     c.  Any regional or other directives related to the authorization and approval of official travel, or reimbursement of travel-related expenses, must be cleared in advance through the Office of Travel and Charge Card Services, Office of Administrative Services (OAS).

3. Cancellation.

This Order cancels and supersedes OAS 5700.1A, Temporary Duty (TDY) Travel Policy.

4. Responsibilities.

The Office of Travel and Charge Card Services is responsible for developing travel policy for GSA employees and for individuals authorized to travel at GSA’s expense.

Problems viewing this page? [email protected]

Are you a GSA employee? Use the Directive Library on InSite to access referenced information.

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.

Policy for Duty Travel

Resource date: 01 Oct 2014

Author: FASP

Publisher: UNFPA PD

Policy for Duty Travel covers eligibility and procedures for duty travel including initial appointment travel; reassignment travel; repatriation travel;and official business travel. The policy covers authorization for travel; route, mode of transportation and standard of accommodation; daily subsistence allowance; other official business travel;  allowances and expenses; travel advances; unaccompanied shipment of personal effects and household goods; travel requirements; and post travel requirements.  This policy does not apply to entitlement travel which is handled by DHR.

Administrative Resource

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Local elections live: 'Devastated' Tory candidate Andy Street refuses to blame Rishi Sunak after shock West Midlands defeat

Labour pulls off a stunning victory in the West Midlands mayoral election, with Tory incumbent Andy Street losing by just 1,508 votes.

Sunday 5 May 2024 00:22, UK

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• Labour wins West Midlands mayoral election
• 'Devastated' Street refuses to blame Sunak for loss
• Tory MP says 'awful' results should be 'massive wake-up call' in WhatsApps leaked to Sky News
• Khan heckled by losing candidate as he's declared winner of London mayoral election
• Darren McCaffrey:  London loss asks bigger questions of the Conservatives
• Andy Burnham re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor
• Lib Dems win more council seats than Tories in England
• Sam Coates:  Tory MPs sad but not mutinous
• Vote 2024:   Council results in full  |  Mayoral results in full
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill and (earlier)  Ben Bloch

Thanks for joining us for another extremely busy day of local election news. You can join us tomorrow morning for a special election episode of Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.

Until then, here are today's headlines:

• Tory incumbent Andy Street has suffered a shock loss to Labour in the West Midlands mayoral race in a major blow to the prime minister;
• Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has heralded the win as a "significant piece of political history";
• Sadiq Khan has won a historic third term as London mayor;
• Andy Burnham was re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor for a third term with more than 60% of the vote;
• Labour also won mayoral races in West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region and Salford ;
• The results mean Labour has won all but one of the mayoral races they were contesting, losing Tees Valley to the Tory incumbent;
• The Conservatives have lost 473 seats and control of 12 councils;
• Labour has gained eight councils and 185 seats;
• The results mean the  Liberal Democrats  have won more council seats than the Conservatives;
• The  Green Party  has netted an extra 74 seats, making serious gains in places like Bristol.

Richard Parker has pulled off a surprise victory in the West Midlands mayoral election.

The Labour candidate unseated Andy Street, winning by just 1,508 votes, to end the Tory's seven-year term.

Here's what you need to know about the relatively unknown politician.

Originally from Bristol, Mr Parker's father was a dock worker and his mother a school secretary.

He left school aged 16 and went straight to work at a local port authority before getting an economics degree.

Mr Parker went to work for PwC in 1989, where he gained his accountancy qualifications and went on to become a partner, managing the accountancy firm's relationship with the Labour Party.

Mr Parker also worked with council leaders to set up the West Midlands Combined Authority in 2016 before leaving to set up his own company RP Strategy.

Read more here:

By Andy Hayes, news reporter

Tory incumbent Andy Street has suffered a shock defeat to Labour in the West Midlands mayoral election after a partial recount was ordered.

Labour's Richard Parker beat Mr Street by just 1,508 votes - 0.25% - to deliver a major blow to Rishi Sunak in the key electoral battleground after a hammering in the local elections.

With the race neck-and-neck, in the end it came down to the results in one borough - Labour-supporting Sandwell.

"This is the most important thing I will ever do," Mr Parker said in his acceptance speech.

"I promise you that I will deliver jobs," he added.

He told Sky News he would take buses "back into public control" and deliver the "largest programme of social housing we've had in this region for more than 40 years".

And he thanked his predecessor, who he said had "led this region through a number of great challenges and you deserve great credit for that".

Labour's win in the West Midlands has left Rishi Sunak with "just one man standing", Sky's  political editor Beth Rigby  says. 

The Conservatives have now lost all of the mayoral races in this election, with the exception of Tees Valley. 

Beth says one senior Labour figure has told her the West Midlands was the Tory scalp Labour really wanted - and were pulling resources from Tees Valley to make it happen.

"They were really fighting hard to take this Tory jewel from the crown," she says.

The "energy and the euphoria was palpable" within the Labour camp after victory was declared, Beth says .

"They were so wired, excited, euphoric about this win because for them it is huge."

She says you could feel among the Labour activists, and Sir Keir Starmer himself, that they are beginning to feel "they can really do this" in the general election.

Symbolically they can say "we took your crown jewel in the West Midlands and we are coming for those seats".

"It gives Starmer momentum and it will leave the Conservatives hugely deflated," she adds.

Labour's new mayor for the West Midlands Richard Parker tells Sky News he plans to "work really closely with a future Labour government".

"I think that's the best way for us to work together for the wider benefit of this region," he says.

Mr Parker defeated Tory incumbent Andy Street in a major blow to the Conservatives.

Labour's election success is a "vindication of the hard work that we've done to change the Labour Party," Sir Keir Starmer says.

He heralds the "phenomenal result" in the West Midlands, which saw Labour's Richard Parker defeat the Tory incumbent. 

But he says Labour is now stepping up again towards the general election "so that we can serve the working people once again as a new and changed party".

He is asked about the extent to which Labour's stance on the Gaza war has cost the party votes.

"Where we have not been able to persuade people who might otherwise have voted for Labour, it is important to acknowledge that - to say I have heard, I've listened and I am determined to meet the concerns they have and win back their trust and confidence."

"But nothing takes away from the significance of this victory here in the West Midlands," he says.

Labour's Richard Parker is appearing alongside Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer after winning the West Midlands mayoral race. 

"It's time for a fresh start ... we start on Monday," Mr Parker says to a loud applause.

Speaking next, Sir Keir declares: "What a way to end the local elections in 2024". 

"This is a significant piece of political history that we have made here today," he says.

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street tells Sky News he would advise against his party drifting to the right, saying his brand of "tolerant conservatism" has come "within an ace of beating the Labour Party".

"The thing everyone should take from Birmingham in the West Midlands tonight is this brand of moderate, inclusive, tolerant conservatism that gets on and delivered has come within an ace of beating the Labour Party in, what they considered to be their backyard," he says. 

"That's the message from here tonight."

Asked if he is worried the Conservative party is drifting to the right and over-emphasising the threat from Reform UK while "ignoring other voters", he said: "I would definitely not advise that drift.

"The psychology here is really very straight forward isn't it: this is the youngest, most diverse, one of the most urban places in Britain and we've done, many would say, extremely well over a consistent period.

"The message is clear: winning from that centre ground is what happens."

Mr Street lost to Labour's Richard Parker in the West Midlands mayoral race by a margin of 1,508 votes.

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street tells Sky News he is "hugely disappointed" and "devastated", but "incredibly proud" to lose by a small margin of votes in a region of millions, "given the situation the party finds itself in".

"Given that this has always been a place where some people said you should never have won in the first place, I'm actually very, very proud of what we've done," he says.

"I genuinely believed we were making real progress across the region on so many pieces.

"And for that to be closed off, that is disappointing in the extreme."

But he says "we did not persuade enough people that our record was as good as I believed it was, or that our plans for the future were exciting enough".

Asked if it was the national Conservative Party picture that led to his defeat, he said: "It was my campaign totally".

"I am not going to try to push responsibility anywhere else ... they'll be no sloping shoulders from me".

Defeated Conservative mayor Andy Street has said he is sorry he "couldn't make it the hat-trick" after losing to Labour's Richard Parker in the West Midlands mayoral race. 

In a short speech, Mr Street said it had been his "honour" to serve as mayor for the last seven years, telling his team "you will be back".

He says he hopes he has led with "dignity and integrity" and has "bequeathed to Richard a combined authority and indeed a role to which young aspiring leaders will want to aspire one day".

"In a sense, I can have done no more than that," he said.

Mr Street thanked his fellow candidates, including Mr Parker, for a "very courteous campaign", wishing Mr Parker "all strength and wisdom as he takes on this role".

"Thank you and goodnight," he concluded.

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