**The following are regulatory changes to Compensatory Time for Travel,
effective July 2, 2008**

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Compensatory time for travel **must** be used by an employee before he
or she may use annual leave, provided this shall not result in the
employee losing any accumulated annual leave.  See section 5.8 of P&P
402.3 "Premium Pay."

An employee can receive comp time off for travel only for those hours
spent in a travel status outside their regular tour of duty (TOD). 
Travel status includes only the time actually spent traveling between
the official duty station and a temporary duty station, or between two
temporary duty stations, and the usual waiting time that precedes or
interrupts such travel. Usual waiting times allowed are as follows:

*Domestic Travel* - Waiting time allowed, pre-departure: **up to 2
hours** before scheduled departure time; connecting flight(s): **up to 2
hours** beginning immediately after landing.

*Foreign Travel* - Waiting time allowed, pre-departure: **up to 3
hours** before scheduled departure time; connecting flight(s): **up to 3
hours** beginning immediately after landing.  See section 5 of P&P 402.3
"Premium Pay." 

**This is a change from the previous policy of up to 1 hour of
creditable waiting time for domestic travel and up to 2 hours of waiting
time for foreign travel.**

See section 5 of P&P 402.3 "Premium Pay", update effective 7/2/08. 

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**Regulatory changes to Compensatory Time off for Travel -- Prevailing
Rate (Wage) Employees: Effective May 28, 2008**

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[Prevailing Rate (Wage) Employees]{.underline}

Wage Grade employees are now eligible to earn compensatory time off for
travel for time spent in a travel status away from the official duty
station when such time is not otherwise compensable. Agencies must
credit prevailing rate (wage) employees who perform officially
authorized travel on or after April 27, 2008 with any compensatory time
off for travel to which they are entitled under the law and regulations.

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**The following are regulatory changes to Compensatory Time Off for
Travel effective May 17, 2007**

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[Meal times]{.underline}

Previously, meal periods while waiting at a transportation terminal
could not be counted as part of the "usual waiting" time which was
compensable as Compensatory Time Off for Travel. Usual waiting time for
domestic travel has been defined as 1 hour prior to departure at a
terminal (airport, train station, etc.) and 1 hour between connections.
Usual waiting time for international travel has been defined as 2 hours
prior to departure and 2 hours between connections. Effective May 17,
meal time can now be counted as part of the "usual waiting" time at
transportation terminals for Compensatory Time Off for Travel.

Meal times taken in transit while not on a carrier or waiting at a
terminal would still not qualify as compensable for Compensatory Time
Off for Travel (e.g., stopping for a meal when traveling in a rental
vehicle from the terminal to the temporary duty station would not count
as Compensatory Time Off for Travel.)

[Exception due to an Exigency]{.underline}

If an employee fails to use his or her Compensatory Time Off for Travel
within 26 pay periods due to an exigency of service beyond the
employee's control, an authorized agency official may extend the time
limit for the use of the leave for up to an additional 26 pay periods.

[Holidays]{.underline}

As a clarification, while Compensatory Time Off for Travel cannot be
earned for travel that occurs during an employee's tour of duty (TOD) on
a holiday, it can be earned on the holiday during those times outside of
the employee's TOD.

[Union Activities]{.underline}

As a clarification, time spent traveling in connection with union
activities is not creditable for the purpose of earning Compensatory
Time Off for Travel.

[Permanent Change in Station (PCS)]{.underline}

As a clarification, travel time in connection with an employee's PCS is
not time in a travel status for the purpose of earning Compensatory Time
Off for Travel.

Please direct your questions to Ted Nykiel (301-504-4426) at
ted.nykiel@ars.usda.gov, Michelyn Boyd (301-504-1466) at
[Michelyn.boyd@ars.usda.gov]{.underline} or Terri Ponte (301-504-1474)
at [terri.ponte@ars.usda.gov]{.underline}