Federal employee groups are pushing back against drastic cuts to long-term travel per diems at the Defense Department, saying they unfairly burden feds.
The new per diem policy– implemented on Nov. 1 – drops reimbursements to 75 percent for trips or temporary duty assignments lasting 31 to 180 days. For trips longer than 181 days the traveler gets 55 percent of the lodging and meal per diem. The previous policy paid 100 percent of the per diem rates for any length of time.
"These extreme cuts create undue financial burdens on these dedicated employees who will struggle to meet these per diem requirements," said Federal Manager Association President Patricia Niehaus.
She said while DoD states that employees will not be required to pay out of pocket for any valid travel expenses – which can be approved by senior leadership – the reality will push the burden to employees and price them out of many markets.
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"Federal workers are still trying to financially recover from the three year pay freeze, furloughs caused by sequestration, a government shutdown, and dwindling employee morale throughout military installations. These cuts do not recognize the financial restraints federal employees face," Niehaus said.
The Defense Department believes it will save about $22 million annually without harming the traveler or the mission, according to spokesman Nathan Christensen. Many hotels offer discounted long-term rates for travelers staying a while, which helps drive down costs, he added.
But the new per diem policy just shifts $38 million per year in travel costs shifted to a workforce forced to endure pay freezes and unpaid furloughs, National Federation of Federal Employees President William Dougan said.
""The Department is touting this as a prudent financial decision, but it amounts to nothing more than a new tax on defense workers with the misfortune of being assigned on long-term temporary duty," he said.
He called for the immediate reversal of the new per diem policy and said the Defense Department made its decision unilaterally and without discussion the matter with those who might be affected.
"We hope DoD will work with us to find ways to mitigate the negative impact of these changes. That conversation needs to happen, and we are ready to have it when DoD is ready," Dougan said.
