The National Joint Council (NJC) Travel Directive has been updated to reflect employees’ travel-related needs.
The updates are the result of an extensive, cyclical review of the NJC Travel Directive, which began in 2021 and involved several years of consultation, information sharing, and co-development between the Employer and the bargaining agents.
Through this process, the parties reached agreements on a wide range of updates to modernize and clarify the Directive. Where agreement could not be reached, a limited number of outstanding issues were referred to interest arbitration and have now been resolved through an arbitration award.
The changes outlined here reflect both items agreed to by the parties and those awarded through arbitration, updating the Travel Directive to better reflect employees’ travel needs.
For more information, see the changes on the NJC’s website. The full award is posted here.
Changes Awarded Through Arbitration
Headquarters Area
- No change to the definition of the Headquarters Area
- This threshold is subject to further review between the parties
Dependant Care Allowance (Declaration-Based)
- The declaration-based dependant care allowance has increased:
- From $35 to $50 per household
Dependant Care Allowance (Receipted – Professional Care)
- Where dependant care is provided by a person or organization in the business of providing care, and supported by receipts:
- The allowance has increased from $75 a day per household to $100 a day per dependent
- Declarations will not be accepted for this allowance
- A standardized sample declaration form will be developed
Incidental Expense Allowance
- The incidental expense allowance has increased from $17.30 to $25.
Future Review of Allowance Indexing
- Rather than imposing a specific indexing model for incidentals and dependant care, the board has left it to the parties to discuss what indexing model makes sense
Effective Date (Arbitration Items)
- All changes awarded through arbitration take effect March 28, 2025
Changes Agreed to During the Cyclical Review (Pre-Arbitration)
Changes Throughout the Directive
- Streamlined terminology for private motor vehicle (PMV) to ensure consistency
- Updated references to include common-law partners
- Translation errors corrected
- References revised and duplicate language removed
General / Application
- Updated reference to the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board in the grievance procedure
- Clarified the distinction between provisions applicable to travellers and employees
- Clarified that commuting to a permanent or regular workplace does not constitute government travel
- Revised the definition of temporary workplace to improve clarity
- Removed Veterans Affairs Canada hospitals from the definition of government and institutional accommodation
Administration (Part I)
- Where an employee has an aversion to air travel, management shall endeavour to schedule work using alternative travel methods
- Management may consider relocation as an option rather than long-term travel status
- Travel status may be extended in emergencies preventing timely return, with reasonable costs reimbursed when not covered by another authority
- Environmentally friendly suppliers added as preferential suppliers
- “Workplace Change” retitled Temporary Workplace Change (within the headquarters area), with clarified scope and entitlements
Insurance (Part II)
- Clarified employee responsibilities regarding vehicle insurance, and the circumstances under which insurance costs will be reimbursed by the Employer
Travel Modules (Part III)
- Wording updated for consistency across travel modules
- Updated guidance on the appropriate departments to consult for travel documents and medical services
- Clarified what types of water are reimbursable and in what circumstances
- Meals:
- Reimbursement may exceed Appendix C or D amounts, in exceptional circumstances and with receipts
- Clarified meal timing, sequencing, and provisions for shift workers
- Transportation:
- Rental vehicles may be acquired the day before travel
- Clarified authorization when business or executive class air travel is unavailable
- Incidental Expense Allowance:
- Clarified that entitlement applies only where the employee is staying overnight in accommodation
Special Travel Circumstances (Part IV)
- Section retitled Travel Provisions for Specific Employees
- Special transportation needs provisions relocated to section 1.5.1.
Emergencies and Illness (Part V)
- Employees may return earlier or later due to personal illness, accidents, or emergency situations at home (e.g., serious illness, fire, flood, ice storm)