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General

Questions and answers

Example A:

The agency worksite is a location in Washington, DC, which is in the Washington-Baltimore locality pay area. The employee’s alternative worksite under remote work is at the employee’s residence in Urbana, MD (in Frederick County, MD), which is also in the Washington-Baltimore locality pay area. The agency has established a 50-mile official station radius surrounding the alternative worksite in Urbana, MD, for local travel reimbursement. The agency worksite in Washington, DC, is within the 50-mile official station radius for the alternative worksite in Urbana, MD.

  • Locality pay: Since the employee does not report to the agency worksite at least twice each pay period on a regular and recurring basis, the employee’s official worksite for locality pay purposes is the location of the alternative worksite in Urbana, MD. (See 5 CFR 531.605(d)(3).) The agency must document this alternative worksite as the employee’s “duty station” on an SF-50, and the employee will receive the locality rate associated with the Washington-Baltimore locality pay area. (See 5 CFR 531.605(a)(3).)
  • Commuting expenses: There are no commuting expenses since the employee is working at his or her residence.
  • Transit subsidy: The employee is not eligible for transit subsidy benefits because there are no covered commuting costs.
  • Travel reimbursement: Transportation expenses in and around the alternative worksite, which include expenses for travel to the agency worksite, may be reimbursed as a local travel expense in accordance with agency policy. Temporary duty (TDY) travel away from the alternative worksite (i.e., more than 50 miles away) must be authorized in accordance with the FTR. Eligibility for per diem is based on FTR §301-11.1.

Example B:

The agency worksite is a location in Washington, DC, which is in the Washington-Baltimore locality pay area. The employee’s alternative worksite under remote work is at the employee’s residence in Martinsburg, WV (in Berkeley County, WV), which is in the Washington-Baltimore locality pay area. The agency has established a 50-mile official station radius surrounding the alternative worksite in Martinsburg, WV, for local travel reimbursement. The agency worksite in Washington, DC, is outside the 50-mile official station radius for the alternative worksite in Martinsburg, WV.

  • Locality pay: Since the employee does not report to the agency worksite at least twice each pay period on a regular and recurring basis, the employee’s official worksite for locality pay purposes is the location of the alternative worksite in Martinsburg, WV. (See 5 CFR 531.605(d)(3).) The agency must document this alternative worksite as the employee’s “duty station” on an SF-50, and the employee will receive the locality rate associated with the Washington-Baltimore locality pay area. (See 5 CFR 531.605(a)(3).)
  • Commuting expenses: There are no commuting expenses since the employee is working at his or her residence.
  • Transit subsidy: The employee is not eligible for transit subsidy benefits because there are no covered commuting costs.
  • Travel reimbursement: Transportation expenses in and around the alternative worksite, which do not include expenses for travel to the agency worksite, may be reimbursed as a local travel expense in accordance with agency policy. Temporary duty (TDY) travel away from the alternative worksite (i.e., more than 50 miles away) must be authorized in accordance with the FTR. Eligibility for per diem is based on FTR §301-11.1.

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