# 2019-057 Pay and Benefits, Interim lodging, meals and incidentals

Case summary

F&R Date: 2019-12-20

The grievor applied for a rental housing unit (RHU) upon her relocation and accepted an offer for a unit that was not available until 45 days after her change of strength date. She then applied to the Director of Compensation and Benefits Administration for reimbursement of interim lodging, meals and miscellaneous (ILM&M) expenses from her Core envelope, but was denied. The grievor contends that she did everything she could to facilitate a door-to-door move but was unable to due to the delay in her RHU availability and her gaining unit's unwillingness to delay her report for duty (RFD) date.

The Initial Authority determined that the grievor made a personal decision to wait for a RHU and explained that delaying her RFD date would not have reduced the amount of ILM&M required in her case because the closing date for the sale of her residence at origin was well before the RHU availability date.

The Committee found that the Canadian Forces Integrated Relocation Program direction required the grievor to arrange a door-to-door move, and that ILM&M would only be reimbursable from the Core envelope when the circumstances were outside the grievor's control. The Committee concluded that the grievor made the personal choice to wait for the RHU rather than seek other more available accommodations options in the area. As the grievor was not entitled to additional ILM&M expenses from her Core envelope, the Committee recommended that redress not be granted.