Travel and relocation expenses

Article VII

Subject to conditions and definitions prescribed by the Secretary-General, the United Nations shall in appropriate cases pay the travel expenses of staff members, their spouses and dependent children.

Subject to conditions and definitions prescribed by the Secretary-General, the United Nations shall in appropriate cases pay relocation shipment for staff members.

Chapter VII

Authorization to travel

Before travel is undertaken, it shall be authorized in writing. Staff members shall be responsible for ascertaining that they have the proper authorization before commencing travel.

Official travel of staff members and their eligible family members

• (a) The United Nations shall pay the travel expenses in respect of official travel for the following individuals, under conditions established by the Secretary-General:
  • (i) On initial appointment:
    • a. Staff members internationally recruited pursuant to staff rule 4.5 (Staff in posts subject to international recruitment); and
    • b. Their eligible family members, provided that the staff members hold a fixed-term or continuing appointment and are not assigned to a non-family duty station, and their services are expected to continue for more than six months beyond the date on which the travel of the eligible family members commences;
  • (ii) Staff members on official business travel;
  • (iii) On change of official duty station, as defined in staff rule 4.8 (Change of official duty station):
    • a. Staff members internationally recruited pursuant to staff rule 4.5 (Staff in posts subject to international recruitment); and
    • b. Their eligible family members, provided that the staff members hold a fixed-term or continuing appointment and are not assigned to a non-family duty station, and their services at the new duty station are expected to continue for more than six months beyond the date on which the travel of the eligible family members commences;
  • (iv) On travel authorized for medical, safety or security reasons or in other appropriate cases, when, in the opinion of the Secretary-General, there are compelling reasons for paying such expenses:
    • a. Staff members; and
    • b. Their eligible family members;
  • (v) On home leave, in accordance with the provisions of staff rule 5.4 (Home leave):
    • a. Staff members internationally recruited pursuant to staff rule 4.5 (Staff in posts subject to international recruitment); and
    • b. Their eligible family members;
  • (vi) On family visit:
    • a. Staff members internationally recruited pursuant to staff rule 4.5 who hold a fixed-term or continuing appointment; or
    • b. The spouse of such staff members, for travel to the duty station provided that it is not designated as non-family, in lieu of the staff member s family visit travel;
  • (vii) On education grant travel for a staff member s dependent child in accordance with staff regulation 3.2 (a);
  • (viii) On separation from service, as defined by article IX of the Staff Regulations and chapter IX of the Staff Rules, except in cases defined in paragraph (d) below, of:
    • a. Staff members internationally recruited pursuant to staff rule 4.5; and
    • b. Their eligible family members, provided that the staff members hold a fixed-term or continuing appointment, were not assigned to a non-family duty station and had completed at least one year of continuous service.
• (b) Eligible family members, for the purposes of official travel, shall be deemed to comprise a spouse and those children recognized as dependants under staff rule 3.5 (a) (iii).
• (c) On separation from service, the United Nations shall pay the travel expenses of staff members and their eligible family members to the place of recruitment or, if the staff member holds a fixed-term or continuing appointment, to the recognized place of home leave under staff rule 5.4 (Home leave). Should a staff member, on separation, wish to go to any other place, the travel expenses borne by the United Nations shall not exceed the maximum amount that would have been payable for the return of the staff member and eligible family members, if appropriate, to the place of recruitment or home leave, as applicable.
• (d) The United Nations shall not pay the travel expenses on separation from service of staff members and their eligible family members in the following circumstances, unless the Secretary-General determines that there are compelling reasons for authorizing such payment:
  • (i) Abandonment of post;
  • (ii) Resignation of staff members holding a fixed-term or continuing appointment when they resign:
    • a. Before completing one year of service; or
    • b. Within six months following the date of their return from travel on home leave or family visit, except in the case of such staff members who are assigned to duty stations classified as D or E by the International Civil Service Commission that do not fall under the rest and recuperation framework, for whom the period shall be within three months of the date of their return;
  • (iii) Resignation of staff members holding a temporary appointment who resign before completing the full term of their appointment;
  • (iv) Where the return travel has not commenced within two years of the date of separation of the staff member or, if both spouses are staff members, within two years of the date of separation of the staff member s spouse, whichever is later.
• (e) In the case of staff members holding a fixed-term or continuing appointment, the Secretary-General may authorize payment of the travel expenses of a child for one trip, either to the staff member s duty station or to the staff member s home country, beyond the age at which the dependency status of the child would otherwise cease under staff rule 3.5 (a) (iii), either within one year or upon completion of the child s continuous full-time attendance at a university or its equivalent, when the attendance at the university commenced during the period of recognized dependency status.
• (f) The Secretary-General may also authorize payment of travel expenses for the repatriation of a former spouse of a staff member from the duty station of the staff member to the place of recruitment or to the recognized place of home leave, provided that the staff member is holding a fixed-term or continuing appointment and that the former spouse s travel expenses to the duty station had been paid by the United Nations.
• (g) The Secretary-General may reject any claim for payment or reimbursement of travel or relocation shipment expenses which are incurred by a staff member or their eligible family members in contravention of any provision of the Staff Rules.

Dates, mode, route and standard of travel

• (a) Official travel shall, in all instances, be on the dates and by the mode, route and standard of travel approved in advance by the Secretary-General in accordance with staff rule 7.1 (Authorization to travel).

Official dates of travel

• (b) The official departure date is normally the day on which travel must start to allow the traveller to arrive at the place of official business before the commencement of duties. The official return date is normally the day after duties on official business have ended.

Mode of travel

• (c) The normal mode of travel for all official travel shall be by air. An alternative mode of travel may be approved when the Secretary-General determines that its use is in the best interest of the United Nations.

Route of travel

• (d) The normal route for all official travel shall be the most economical route available, provided that the total additional travel time required for the whole journey does not exceed by four hours or more the total travel time using the most direct route available. An alternative route may be approved when the Secretary-General determines that it is in the best interest of the Organization.

Standard of accommodation of travel

• (e) For all official travel by air, staff members up to and including those at the D-2 level and their eligible family members shall be provided with economy class transportation in accordance with the most economical route available. Under conditions established by the Secretary-General, such staff members and their eligible family members may be granted a standard of travel immediately below first class.
• (f) For all official travel by air, the Deputy Secretary-General, the Under-Secretaries-General and the Assistant Secretaries-General and their eligible family members shall be provided with a standard of travel immediately below first class, unless economy class transportation is otherwise provided for under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
• (g) In exceptional cases, a higher standard of travel may be approved by the Secretary-General.
• (h) Children, including those under 2 years of age, travelling by air shall be provided with a ticket entitling them to a seat.
• (i) For all official travel by train or commercial ground transportation approved under paragraph (c) above, staff members and their eligible family members shall be granted regular first-class travel or an equivalent standard.
• (j) For all official water travel approved under paragraph (c) above, staff members and their eligible family members shall be granted a standard of travel under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Deviation for personal convenience

• (k) Regarding deviation for personal convenience
  • (i) Travel expenses and other entitlements, including travel time, shall be limited to the amount authorized for a journey on the approved dates and by the approved mode, route and standard of travel. Staff members who wish, for personal convenience, to make travel arrangements that vary from the approved dates, mode, route or standard of travel must obtain permission to do so in advance and assume the responsibility for all changes, including payment of any additional costs thus incurred above the amount authorized by the United Nations;
  • (ii) In the case of a deviation for personal convenience, annual leave shall be deducted for absence on working days at the official duty station of the staff member falling outside of the official business travel period. Time spent travelling according to the approved itinerary shall be counted as travel time and not as annual leave;
  • (iii) If a staff member or eligible family member making a deviation for personal convenience travels using a more economical itinerary than the one approved, the United Nations shall pay only for the actual cost incurred;
  • (iv) A choice by the staff member of a more economical itinerary within the official travel dates shall not be considered a deviation for personal convenience.

Travel by motor vehicle

Staff members who are authorized to travel by motor vehicle shall be reimbursed by the United Nations at rates and under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Purchase of tickets

All tickets for official travel of staff members and eligible family members shall be purchased by the United Nations in advance of the actual travel, unless staff members are authorized to purchase their own tickets under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Terminal expenses

• (a) For all official travel, staff members and their eligible family members, where applicable, are entitled to payment of terminal expenses at rates and under conditions established by the Secretary-General. Terminal expenses shall be deemed to cover all expenditures for transportation and related incidental charges between the airport or other point of arrival or departure and the hotel or other place of dwelling.
• (b) No terminal expenses shall be paid in respect of an intermediate stop that:
  • (i) Is not authorized;
  • (ii) Does not involve leaving the terminal;
  • (iii) Is exclusively for the purpose of making an onward connection on the same day.

Daily subsistence allowance

• (a) Staff members authorized to travel at United Nations expense shall receive an appropriate daily subsistence allowance to cover accommodation, meals and incidental expenditures in accordance with rates established by the International Civil Service Commission. Such established rates shall be subject to the provisions of paragraph (d) below and to reductions in cases where lodging or meals are provided free of charge by the United Nations, a Government or a related institution.
• (b) Daily subsistence allowance shall comprise the total contribution of the United Nations towards such charges as accommodation, meals and incidental expenditures.
• (c) The Secretary-General may, in exceptional and compelling circumstances, authorize a reasonable increase in the daily subsistence allowance to be paid to staff members who are required to accompany a senior official and whose official duties while in travel status require that their additional living expenses be set at a rate substantially higher than the established rate.
• (d) The Secretary-General may establish a special rate for daily subsistence allowance in cases where deemed appropriate, including in the event of staff members being assigned to conferences or other extended periods of duty away from their official duty station.
• (e) When the spouse or dependent children of a staff member are authorized to travel at United Nations expense, the staff member shall be paid an additional daily subsistence allowance for each such family member at half the established standard rate applicable to the staff member.
• (f) The Secretary-General may establish conditions under which daily subsistence allowance may be paid during sick, annual or special leave taken while on travel status.
• (g) No daily subsistence allowance shall be payable in respect of travel on appointment, assignment or repatriation, or in respect of travel on home leave, family visit or education grant, provided that the allowance may be paid for stopovers actually made during such travel under conditions established by the Secretary-General. Where travel at United Nations expense is authorized for medical, safety, security or other reasons under staff rule 7.2 (Official travel of staff members and their eligible family members) an appropriate amount of daily subsistence allowance may be paid at the discretion of the Secretary-General.

Miscellaneous travel expenses

Necessary additional expenses incurred by a staff member in connection with official business travel shall be reimbursed by the United Nations after the completion of travel, provided that the necessity and nature of the expenses are satisfactorily explained and supported by proper receipts, which shall normally be required for any expenditures in excess of 30 United States dollars or as established by the Secretary-General. Such expenses, for which advance authorization shall be obtained to the extent practicable, shall normally be limited to:

• (a) Local transportation other than that provided for under staff rule 7.6 (Terminal expenses);
• (b) Telephone and other forms of communication required for official business;
• (c) Space, equipment and services required for official use;
• (d) Transportation or storage of authorized baggage or property used for conducting official business.

Travel advances

Staff members authorized to travel shall be responsible for securing advance funds sufficient to cover all travel expenses. An advance of 100 per cent of the terminal expenses and daily subsistence allowance payable under staff rules 7.6 (Terminal expenses) and 7.7 (Daily subsistence allowance) may be made on the basis of an estimate and certification.

Illness or injury during travel on official business

The United Nations shall pay or reimburse reasonable hospital and medical expenses, insofar as they are not covered by other arrangements, which may be incurred by staff members who become ill or are injured while on official business travel status.

Settling-in grant

Definition and computation of the grant

• (a) The settling-in grant is intended to provide staff with a reasonable amount of cash at the beginning of an assignment for costs incurred as a result of the appointment or assignment and is based on the assumption that the main expenses of installation are incurred at the outset of an assignment.
• (b) The settling-in grant consists of two portions:
  • (i) The daily subsistence allowance portion, which shall be equivalent to:
    • a. Thirty days of daily subsistence allowance at the daily rate applicable under subparagraph (c) (i) below in respect of staff members; and
    • b. Thirty days of daily subsistence allowance at half the daily rate in respect of each eligible family member for whom travel expenses have been paid by the United Nations under staff rule 7.2 (a) (i) and (iii);
  • (ii) The lump-sum portion, which is calculated on the basis of one month of the staff member s net base salary and, where appropriate, post adjustment at the duty station of assignment.
• (c) Exceptionally
  • (i) The Secretary-General may establish and publish special rates of daily subsistence allowance for the purposes of the settling-in grant for specific categories of staff at various duty stations. Where such special rates have not been established, the daily subsistence allowance rates under staff rule 7.7 (Daily subsistence allowance) shall be used in computing the settling-in grant;
  • (ii) Under conditions established by the Secretary-General, the limit of 30 days provided in paragraph (b) above may be extended to a maximum of 90 days. The amount of the grant during the extended period shall be up to 60 per cent of the appropriate prevailing rate.

Eligibility

• (d) Staff members holding a temporary appointment who travel at United Nations expense pursuant to staff rule 7.2 (a) (i) shall be paid only the daily subsistence allowance portion of the settling-in grant, for themselves only, as specified in subparagraph (b) (i) above, and shall not be entitled to the lump-sum portion of the grant.
• (e) Staff members holding a fixed-term or continuing appointment who travel at United Nations expense to a duty station for an assignment expected to be for one year or more shall be paid a settling-in grant in accordance with paragraphs (b) and (c) above.
• (f) If a change of official duty station or a new appointment involves a return to a place at which the staff member was previously stationed, the full amount of the settling-in grant shall not be payable unless the staff member has been absent from that place for at least one year. In the case of a shorter absence, the amount payable shall normally be that proportion of the full grant that the completed months of absence bear to one year.

Excess baggage and unaccompanied shipments

Excess baggage

• (a) For the purpose of the Staff Rules, excess baggage shall mean any accompanied baggage not carried free of charge by transportation companies.
• (b) Staff members travelling by air at the expense of the United Nations shall be entitled to reimbursement of the cost of accompanied excess baggage for themselves and, for staff members holding fixed-term or continuing appointments, for each of their eligible family members under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

General provisions on unaccompanied shipments

• (c) Personal effects and household goods shall mean effects and goods normally required for personal or household use, excluding animals and power-assisted vehicles.
• (d) Unaccompanied shipments shall normally be made in one consignment, and related expenses shall be reimbursed on the basis of the maximum entitlement for transportation by the most economical means, as determined by the Secretary-General, between the official places of departure and destination of the staff member or eligible family members. A lump-sum amount may be paid in lieu of the unaccompanied shipment under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
• (e) The normal costs of packing, crating and lift vans, cartage, unpacking and uncrating shall be reimbursed for unaccompanied shipments authorized under the present rule, except for shipments under conditions established by the Secretary-General for which the cost of cartage only shall be paid. The costs for the servicing, dismantling, installation or special packing of personal effects and household goods shall not be reimbursed. Storage and demurrage charges shall not be reimbursed unless, in the opinion of the Secretary-General, they are directly incidental to the transportation of the consignment.
• (f) The weight or volume of unaccompanied shipments of personal effects and household goods for which expenses are borne by the Organization under the present rule shall include packing but exclude crating and lift vans.

Unaccompanied shipments on home leave, family visit or education grant travel

• (g) When the authorized travel is by air or land, charges for unaccompanied shipment of personal effects or household goods relating to travel on home leave, family visit or education grant may be reimbursed up to a maximum amount established by the Secretary-General.

Unaccompanied shipments for staff holding a temporary appointment or staff assigned for less than one year

• (h) A staff member holding
  • (i) a temporary appointment may be reimbursed for the shipment of personal effects and household goods, up to a maximum of 100 kilograms or 0.62 cubic metres, by the most economical means on appointment and on separation from service;
  • (ii) a fixed-term or continuing appointment may be reimbursed for the shipment of personal effects and household goods, up to a maximum of 100 kilograms or 0.62 cubic metres, by the most economical means when on assignment for less than one year. Where the assignment is extended for a total period of one year or longer, the staff member shall be paid expenses for an additional shipment of personal effects and household goods up to the maximum entitlement established in paragraph (i) below on the condition that staff member s services are expected to continue for more than six months beyond the proposed date of arrival of the personal effects and household goods in line with staff rule 7.14 (a).

Unaccompanied shipments for staff holding a fixed-term or continuing appointment appointed or assigned for one year or longer

• (i) On travel on appointment or assignment for one year or longer or when an assignment is extended for a total period of one year or longer, on transfer to another duty station or on separation from service of a staff member, charges for the shipment of personal effects and household goods by the most economical means may be reimbursed up to a maximum amount established by the Secretary-General.

Additional shipment entitlements for staff serving at duty stations classified as D or E that do not fall under the rest and recuperation framework

• (j) Internationally recruited staff members serving in duty stations classified as D or E by the International Civil Service Commission that do not fall under the rest and recuperation framework shall be granted, under conditions established by the Secretary-General, the following additional entitlements:
  • (i) An additional shipment entitlement once a year by the most economical means of up to a maximum amount established by the Secretary-General in respect of the staff member and each eligible family member for whom the United Nations has paid travel costs to the duty station;
  • (ii) An additional shipment entitlement in connection with the birth or adoption of a child up to a maximum amount established by the Secretary-General;
  • (iii) In addition to the unaccompanied shipment entitlements under the present rule, the cost of transporting a privately owned motor vehicle to one of the duty stations designated for that purpose may be partially reimbursed under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Conversion of shipment by surface to unaccompanied shipment by air

(k) When the most economical means of shipment is by surface, the entitlement may be converted to unaccompanied shipment by air under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Relocation shipment

Eligibility

• (a) An entitlement to relocation shipment for full removal of personal effects and household goods shall arise with respect to internationally recruited staff members holding a fixed-term or continuing appointment under the following circumstances and in accordance with conditions established by the Secretary-General:
  • (i) On initial appointment, provided that the staff member is expected to serve at the new duty station for a period of two years or longer;
  • (ii) On change of duty station, provided that the staff member is expected to serve at the new duty station for a period of two years or longer;
  • (iii) On separation from service, provided that the staff member had an appointment for a period of two years or longer or had completed not less than two years of continuous service.
• (b) Relocation shipment shall be by the most economical means at rates and under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Maximum entitlements

• (c) Regarding maximum entitlements
  • (i) Payment by the United Nations of relocation shipment shall be on the basis of maximum entitlements established by the Secretary-General;
  • (ii) The normal costs of packing, crating and lift vans, cartage, unpacking and uncrating shall be reimbursed. Storage and demurrage charges shall not be reimbursed unless the Secretary-General determines that they are directly incidental to the transportation of the consignment;
  • (iii) Transportation of personal effects and household goods shall be by the most economical means at rates and under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
• (d) Relocation shipment shall be on the basis of shipment from and to the following destinations:
  • (i) On appointment, from the place of recruitment or the place recognized as the staff member s home for purposes of home leave under staff rule 5.4 (Home leave) to the official duty station;
  • (ii) Upon separation from service, from the official duty station to any one place to which the staff member is entitled to be returned in accordance with the provisions of staff rule 7.2 (Official travel of staff members and their eligible family members);
  • (iii) Relocation shipment from or to a place other than those specified may be authorized under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
• (e) No entitlement to relocation shipment shall arise in the following circumstances:
  • (i) For removal of a staff member s personal effects and household goods within the same duty station;
  • (ii) With respect to service of a staff member at a non-family duty station.

Storage of personal effects and household goods

• (f) When staff members entitled to relocation shipment are assigned to a new duty station without an entitlement to relocation shipment or from a duty station to which they had an entitlement to relocation shipment under paragraph (a) above or would have had such entitlement on appointment from outside the duty station, the United Nations shall pay the costs of storage of personal effects and household goods, subject to conditions established by the Secretary-General and provided that the staff member is expected to return to the same duty station within five years.

Lump sum in lieu of relocation shipment

• (g) A lump-sum amount may be paid in lieu of the relocation shipment under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Adjustments to entitlements

• (h) Where both spouses are staff members and each is entitled to relocation shipment or unaccompanied shipment under the present rule and taking into account staff rule 4.7 (d), the maximum entitlement to relocation shipment for both spouses shall be that provided for a staff member with a spouse or dependent child residing at the official duty station.
• (i) In cases where, for reasons not attributable to the Organization, the staff member does not complete the period of service in respect of which the United Nations has paid relocation shipment or a lump sum in lieu of relocation shipment, these costs may be adjusted proportionately, and recovery made under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Loss of entitlement to unaccompanied shipment or relocation shipment

• (a) Entitlement to relocation shipment under staff rule 7.13 (a) shall normally cease if the relocation shipment has not commenced within two years of the date on which the staff member became entitled to relocation shipment. In addition, the staff member s service must be expected to continue for more than six months beyond the proposed date of arrival of the personal effects and household goods.
• (b) A staff member who resigns before completing two years of service shall not normally be entitled to payment of relocation shipment under staff rule 7.13 (Relocation shipment).
• (c) On separation from service, entitlement to unaccompanied shipment expenses under staff rule 7.12 (h) and (i) or relocation shipment under staff rule 7.13 shall cease if the shipment has not commenced within two years of the date of separation. However, in accordance with staff rule 4.7 (d), where both spouses are staff members and the spouse who separates first is entitled to unaccompanied shipment or relocation shipment, eligibility for the entitlement shall not cease until two years after the date of separation of the other spouse.

Transportation of decedents

In the event of the death of a staff member or a staff member s spouse or dependent child, the United Nations shall pay the expenses for transportation of the body from the official duty station or, in the event of death having occurred while in travel status, from the place of death to a place to which the deceased was entitled to return transportation under staff rule 7.2 (Official travel of staff members and their eligible family members) under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Insurance

• (a) Staff members shall not be reimbursed for the cost of personal accident insurance or insurance of accompanied personal baggage. However, compensation may be paid, under arrangements in force under staff rule 6.5 (Compensation for loss or damage to personal effects attributable to service), in respect of loss of or damage to such baggage determined to be directly attributable to the performance of official duties on behalf of the United Nations.
• (b) In the case of shipments authorized under staff rule 7.12 (Excess baggage and unaccompanied shipments), except for those relating to home leave, family visit or education grant travel, and of the shipment and storage of personal effects and household goods under staff rule 7.13 (Relocation shipment), insurance coverage will be provided by the United Nations up to a maximum amount established by the Secretary-General. However, the United Nations shall not be responsible for the loss of or damage to unaccompanied shipments.