The Office of the Under Secretary of the Department of
Defense has issued a memorandum implementing compensatory
time off for time spent by eligible employees while
traveling away from their official duty stations that is
not otherwise compensable. The DoD policy follows
government-wide guidance issued earlier this year on a
change in law enacted last year authorizing such time off.
Certain employees excluded by 5 U.S.C. 5541-2, such as
prevailing rate employees and senior executive service are
excluded from eligibility, but otherwise all DoD employees
who have a regular tour of duty for leave purposes are
eligible to earn and use comp time off for travel.
According to the memo, only in cases where it is not
practicable to schedule travel during an employee’s tour
of duty, consistent with mission requirements, will
employees earn comp time off for travel.
Supervisors and managers authorized to direct travel or
approve time may approve employee requests for comp time
off for travel, and a timekeeper will credit employees
with earned comp time off, the memo said.
It said employees must submit an itinerary with supporting
documentation upon five days of returning to the official
duty station, and credit will be given for between six
and 15 minutes per hour.
“Managers and supervisors throughout the department are
responsible for the appropriate use of this authority to
support mission requirements,” the memo added.