§591.304. Criteria for determining remoteness. — Inbound Citations

(a) An allowance rate may not exceed $10 a day. An allowance rate shall be established for each post of duty determined to be remote under § 591.304, and shall be terminated or adjusted as warranted. In determining the amount of the allowance rate, the following shall be considered:

(1) Transportation expenses incurred in commuting to the remote post of duty as compared to transportation expenses (including cost of public transportation service) representative of those incurred in metropolitan areas within the United States or overseas as appropriate as periodically determined by the Office of Personnel Management.

(2) Expenses incurred for lodging, meals, other services, and miscellaneous expenses when it is not feasible for an employee to commute daily as at duty posts determined under § 591.304(a)(2).

(3) Inconvenience or hardship associated with commuting to the remote duty post taking into account such factors as travel time, road conditions and terrain, type and quality of vehicle, and climate conditions, and conditions that exist at those duty posts determined by the Office of Personnel Management to meet the criteria in § 591.304(a)(2).

(4) Operational or workload demands, weather conditions, or other situations which require an employee to report to or remain at this post of duty substantially beyond his or her normal arrival or departure time with respect to those duty posts meeting the criteria in § 591.304(a)(2).

(a) An authorized allowance rate shall be paid to each employee with a permanent duty station at or within a remote post of duty approved under § 591.304, regardless of type of appointment or work schedule, only (1) when the employee travels the prescribed minimum distance and time, or is subject to prescribed minimum inconvenience or hardship factors, while commuting from the nearest established community or suitable place of residence and the remote duty post, or (2) the employee remains at the worksite at the direction of management because daily commuting is impractical.

(g) When a remote duty post is determined by the Office of Personnel Management under paragraph (a)(3) or (c) of § 591.304 as being basically eligible for an allowance, the Office of Personnel Management will determine the basis for payment of the allowance rate taking into consideration the facts and circumstances associated with commuting to the remote duty post.

(1) Establishing and subsequently adjusting, in accordance with the provisions of this subpart, an allowance for each remote duty post at which the agency has employees and which meets the criteria in paragraph (a)(1) of § 591.304, as restricted by paragraph (b) of § 591.304;

(2) Expenses incurred for lodging, meals, other services, and miscellaneous expenses when it is not feasible for an employee to commute daily as at duty posts determined under § 591.304(a)(2).

(d) Except as provided under § 591.305(b)(4)(ii), when the necessity for remaining at the post of duty for the workweek is the basis for the allowance under § 591.304(a)(2), the allowance rate is paid for each full day, or prorated for each part of a day, that the employee remains at the duty post.

(g) When a remote duty post is determined by the Office of Personnel Management under paragraph (a)(3) or (c) of § 591.304 as being basically eligible for an allowance, the Office of Personnel Management will determine the basis for payment of the allowance rate taking into consideration the facts and circumstances associated with commuting to the remote duty post.

(1) Establishing and subsequently adjusting, in accordance with the provisions of this subpart, an allowance for each remote duty post at which the agency has employees and which meets the criteria in paragraph (a)(1) of § 591.304, as restricted by paragraph (b) of § 591.304;

(3) Submitting a recommendation to the Office of Personnel Management to establish or adjust an allowance for each remote duty post at which the agency has employees and which meets the criteria in paragraph (a)(2) or (a)(3) or paragraph (c) of § 591.304; and