Effective August 17, 2009, Handbook F-15-A, Relocation Policy — Nonbargaining (EAS) Employees, is being revised. Both policies and procedures are being affected. The major changes to the policies and procedures of the handbook are summarized below.
n Advance round trip for home finding purposes increased from up to 8 days to up to 10 consecutive calendar days.
n Temporary quarters’ allowance is being reduced to 30 days of lodging and per diem based on General Services Administration (GSA) travel rates and calculations from the federal travel regulations for the area of the new duty station location.
n Return trip to the former residence is eliminated.
n Relocation leave is eliminated.
n Child care for dependent(s) remaining home during the home finding trip is eliminated.
n Owning or leasing a residence at the new duty station prior to being selected for the position will reduce the amount of the lump sum allowance.
n You must use the relocation management firm’s (RMF’s) broker/agent network to participate in residence transactions for sale of the old home and purchase of a new home.
n The maximum home value allowable to participate in residence transactions and to be reimbursed for real estate expenses is limited to $800,000.
n There is a mandatory marketing time required before the RMF is allowed to purchase the employee’s home.
n There are mandatory marketing strategies required before the RMF is allowed to purchase the employee’s home.
n The employee must agree to remain with the Postal Service™ in the new duty station for a minimum of 2 years, or the employee may be required to repay the Postal Service for all relocation benefits received.
n The manager, Assets and Liabilities has been designated as the reviewer of all requests for deviations to policy.
These revisions and more will be incorporated into the next online update available on the Postal Service PolicyNet website:
n Go to http://blue.usps.gov.
n Under “Essential Links” in the left-hand column, click PolicyNet.
n Then, click HBKs.
(The direct URL for the Postal Service™ PolicyNet website is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)
— Corporate Accounting,
Controller, 8-13-09
