Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2011/06/16/2011-14890/federal-travel-regulation-ftr-miscellaneous-expense-allowance-mea
Timestamp: 2017-08-22 08:02:35
Document Index: 799602143

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 302', 'art 302', '§\u2009302', '§\u2009302', '§\u2009302', '§\u2009302', '§\u2009302', '§\u2009302']

Federal Register :: Federal Travel Regulation (FTR); Miscellaneous Expense Allowance (MEA)
A Rule by the General Services Administration on 06/16/2011
FTR Case 2011-306
Docket Number 2011-0013, Sequence 1
3090-AJ17
List of Subjects in 41 CFR Part 302-16
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2011-14890 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2011-14890
Effective date: This final rule is effective on July 18, 2011.
The Regulatory Secretariat (MVCB), 1275 First Street, NE., Washington, DC 20417, (202) 501-4755, for information pertaining to status or publication schedules. For clarification of content, contact Rick Miller, Office of Governmentwide Policy, Travel Management Policy, at (202) 501-3822 or e-mail at rodney.miller@gsa.gov. Please cite FTR Amendment 2011-02; FTR case 2011-306.
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5738, the Administrator of General Services is authorized to prescribe regulations necessary to implement laws regarding Federal employees when assigned a temporary change of station or when otherwise officially relocated. The overall implementing authority is the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) (41 CFR Chapters 300-304).
Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5724a(f), an employee who is transferred in the interest of the Government is entitled to reimbursement for certain miscellaneous expenses. The purpose of the miscellaneous expense allowance (MEA) is to defray various contingent costs associated with discontinuing a residence at one location and establishing a residence at a new location. The costs covered include items such as fees for disconnecting and connecting appliances, cutting and fitting rugs, draperies, and curtains moved from one residence to another, utility fees or deposits that are not offset by eventual refunds, forfeiture of medical, dental, and other non-transferrable contracts, and the cost of automobile registration and driver's licenses.
The FTR provides that a MEA may be paid in one of two alternative amounts. A transferring employee without an immediate family is automatically entitled to a lump-sum of one week's basic gross pay, up to $500, and an employee with an immediate family is entitled to a lump-sum of two weeks' basic gross pay, up to $1000. If additional amounts are justified, with supporting documentation, MEA may be reimbursed up to a maximum of one or two weeks basic pay depending on whether or not the employee has an immediate family, not to exceed the maximum rate payable for a position at GS-13, Step 10, of the General Schedule provided in 5 U.S.C. 5332. Since the establishment of MEA in 1966, the lump-sum has only been increased twice. The last increase was on February 19, 2002.
This final rule will revise section 302-16.102 of the FTR by increasing the lump sums from $500 to $650 for employees with no immediate family and from $1000 to $1300, for employees who have an immediate family. These figures are based upon an increase in the Consumer Price Index.
This final rule also makes one clerical correction to section 302-16.104.
Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess all costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. This is not a significant regulatory action and, therefore, was not subject to review Start Printed Page 35111under Section 6(b) of Executive Order 12866, Regulatory Planning and Review, dated September 30, 1993. This rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804.
This final rule will not have significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities within the meaning of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq. This final rule is also exempt from Regulatory Flexibility Act per 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2), because it applies to agency management or personnel. However, this final rule is being published to provide transparency in the promulgation of Federal policies.
For the reasons set forth in the preamble, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5721-5738, 41 CFR part 302-16 is amended to read as follows:
Authority: 5 U.S.C. 5738; 20 U.S.C. 905(a); E.O. 11609, 36 FR 13747; 3 CFR 1971-1975 Comp., p. 586.
§ 302-16.102
2. Amend § 302-16.102 by—
a. Removing “$500” in paragraph (a) and adding “$650” in its place.
b. Removing “$1,000” in paragraph (b) and adding “$1,300” in its place.
§ 302-16.104
3. Amend § 302-16.104 by removing “§ 302-16.101” and adding “§ 302-16.102” in its place.
[FR Doc. 2011-14890 Filed 6-15-11; 8:45 am]