# Presentation: 674042

## Federal Travel and Ethics

- Lennard Loewentritt
- Deputy Associate General Counsel
- General Services Administration

## 	Section 1116 of Public Law 107-107 (the National Defense Authorization Act of 2002) permits personal use of promotional items earned on official travel. 

***Use of Frequent Flyer Benefits***

## Promotional Items –cont’d

- Includes frequent flyer miles, upgrades, access to airline clubs or facilities.
- Applies to employees, family members and dependents who receive promotional items while traveling for the Government.
- Includes all promotional items received before, on or after enactment of the new law.

## Promotional Items- cont’d

- Applicable to promotional items obtained whether travel is at the expense of the Government or accepted from a non-Federal source.
- Applies to all promotional items obtained while on official travel- including airlines, hotels and car rental companies.

## 	First Class and Premium Class Less than First Class (Business Class) Airline Accommodations can only be used in specified, limited circumstances.

***Premium/First Class Travel***

## a.  No coach class or premium class reasonably available within 24 hrs
b.  Accommodate a disability or special need
c.  Exceptional security requirements
d.  Required for agency mission

- b.  Accommodate a disability or special need
- c.  Exceptional security requirements
- d.  Required for agency mission

***First Class Travel***

## a.  Regularly scheduled flights provide only premium class
b.  No coach space available in time to accomplish mission
c. Accommodate a disability or special need
d.  Exceptional security requirements    

- b.  No coach space available in time to accomplish mission
- c. Accommodate a disability or special need
- d.  Exceptional security requirements

***Premium Class Travel ***
***(Business Class)***

## e.  Inadequate sanitation or health standards in coach
f.   Results in overall cost savings
g.  Non-federal source pays costs
h.  Flight time > 14 hours
i.   Required for agency mission

- f.   Results in overall cost savings
- g.  Non-federal source pays costs
- h.  Flight time > 14 hours
- i.   Required for agency mission

***Premium Class Travel (cont)***

## (a)	Involuntary Bumping

(b)	Voluntarily Vacating an Airline Seat 

- (b)	Voluntarily Vacating an Airline Seat

***Denied Boarding Compensation***

## (a) 31 U.S.C. § 1353 authorizes  Federal agencies to accept payment of travel expenses for employees to attend meetings and similar functions.
(b)	Federal Travel Regulation Part 304-1 implements this authority.

- (b)	Federal Travel Regulation Part 304-1 implements this authority.

***Payment of Travel From ***
***Non-Federal Sources***

## (a)	Public Law 105-264, January 27, 1998 mandates the use of a government furnished travel charge card.

(b)	Implementing regulations are published in the Federal Register July 16, 1999.

(c)	FTR Part 301-52, Effective May 1, 2000

- (b)	Implementing regulations are published in the Federal Register July 16, 1999.
- (c)	FTR Part 301-52, Effective May 1, 2000

***Mandatory use of the ***
***Travel Charge Card***

## 	Public Law 105-264 mandates reimbursement of travel expenses by agencies to employees within 30 days.

***Prompt Reimbursement of ***
***Travel Expenses***

## 	Public Law 105-264 permits your agency to offset amounts owed to the travel card company from employees’ salaries.

***Employees Who Fail To Pay ***
***Charge Card Bills***

## 	Conferences

- FTR Part 301-74
- Increased Per Diem Rates for attendance at conferences
- Light Refreshments

## 	Routing of Travel

- FTR section 301-10.7
- Travel by the usually traveled route unless your agency authorizes a different route as officially necessary.

## Use of Airline City-Pair 	Contracts

- (a)		Seat not available in time to 	accomplish mission or would 	require additional per diem.
- (b)		Agency policy to travel during 	normal working hours.
- (c)		Lower fare on non-contract carrier 	available to the general public.
- (d)		Use of Amtrak
- (e)		Smoking flight

## Car Rental while on Official Travel

- Liability and Vehicle Damage
- Personal Use
- Passengers in Rental Vehicles

## Contact Information

- 	Lenny Loewentritt
- 	Office (202)501-1156
- 	Fax (202)501-0583
- 	lenny.loewentritt@gsa.gov