United States Department of Agriculture
Research, Education, and Economics

ARS . CSREES . ERS . NASS

Bulletin

The following plain language question and answer format explains the revised policy which is effective December 1, 2002:

Question:    Will my Agency pay for my official calls?

Answer:    Yes. Your Agency will pay for official calls when authorized by a travel approving official as a necessary expense related to travel. This includes calls while on temporary duty status and during transfer-of-station (relocation) travel. Official calls are considered a necessary expense to accomplish the mission of the travel purpose.

Question:    What telephone service should I use to make an official long distance telephone call while on official travel?
    
Answer:    If available, employees should use agency provided phone cards or government issued cellular phones. In the event that the employee does not have a phone card or cellular phone, employees should use a government provided telephone system whenever possible. When the government provided services are not available, commercial services may be used.

Question:    Does my Agency allow employees to use an airplane phone?

Answer:     No.

Question:    Will my Agency pay for personal calls while on official travel?

Answer:    Yes. Brief long-distance personal calls are authorized when an employee travels for more than one night; however, you may not exceed the daily authorized reimbursement rate.

Question:    How much can I be reimbursed for authorized telephone calls of a personal nature?

Answer:    If travel is within the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands, the maximum reimbursement is $5.00 a per day.

If travel is outside the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands, the maximum reimbursement is $15.00 per day.

The maximum aggregated amount that may be approved for each travel period (i.e., consecutive days of official travel) cannot exceed the amount equal to the daily reimbursement rate multiplied by the number of lodging nights.

Question:    Are employees allowed to call daycare providers or non-family members while on official travel?

Answer:    Yes. Employees are allowed to call daycare providers or non-family members while on official travel as long as the amount of the telephone call does not exceed the daily maximum allowed for personal phone calls.

Question:    Is it advantageous to use my government-issued cell phone for international calls while on official foreign travel?

Answer:    Yes. Based on the cost savings associated with long distance rates in cell phone contracts, employees must use the long-distance service, when available, on the government-issued cellular phone for international calls.

Question:    Are access charges included in the authorized amount for official calls of a personal nature?

Answer:    No. The amount excludes any access charges for telephone usage from the hotel. Access charges should be charged as a miscellaneous travel expense.

Question:    Can I receive reimbursement for authorized personal telephone calls on the day of return to my official duty station?

Answer:    Yes. Claims will be allowed only for calls placed to the official duty station commuting area on the day of return from official travel for notification of a change in schedule.

Question:    What is considered the official duty station of an employee?

Answer:    An employee's official duty station is defined as the area or location of the employees permanent work assignment. This includes areas of their regular commute or the corporate limits or towns where they are permanently stationed.

The changes in department policy will be incorporated in the revised Departmental Regulation (DR) 2300-03, Authorized Telephone Calls of a Personal Nature During Official Travel, at a later date.

If you have questions, please contact Linda E. Mahoney, Chief, Travel and Relocation Services Branch, on 301-504-1307.

/s/

S. M. HELMRICH    
Director
Financial Management Division