Under the Return to Office mandate and tightening of travel budgets, we have noted several instances of local managers denying mileage claims for meetings at buildings other than the employee’s regular place of work.
We recently won a grievance on this issue and want to provide you with the relevant information in the hope that more grievances will not be needed.
It is common for employees to have meetings at buildings other than their regular place of work.
For example, many employees who work at Carling Campus meet at other buildings, or vice versa.
You can claim mileage for a meeting at a building other than your regular workplace.
The section of the National Joint Council (NJC) Travel Directive dealing with travel within the headquarters area (more than 16 km from your regular place of work) states:
“When authorized travel or overtime causes a disruption in the employee's regular commuting pattern, the employee shall be reimbursed additional transportation costs incurred between the residence and the workplace.”
While this may imply that you may only be reimbursed for mileage if it exceeds your regular commute, this is not the case. Question 8 in the Travel Directive Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) clearly states:
“In all of the above scenarios, there is no difference in distance calculation to be made. As stated in the 2005 communiqué, the employee is entitled to reimbursement of the kilometric rate for all authorized distances driven.”
This includes the first scenario, where the employee starts and ends the day at home and spends the whole day at the meeting destination. For example, if your regular workplace is 101 Colonel By or 1600 Star Top Road, but you have an all-day meeting at Carling Campus, you claim the total mileage driven, along with the parking fee, even if it is closer to your home.
This issue was decided in an NJC grievance ruling in 2013 and cited by them again as a precedent in 2014 and 2016.
The link to the FAQ and the above rulings should persuade your management, in the case that you encounter issues. If it does not, please contact a local steward or a member of the DND Consultation Team.
The definition of your “headquarters area” is “an area of 16 km from the assigned workplace using the most direct, safe and practical road.” If the location is further than your regular place of work, for example, if you are going to Star Top instead of Carling Campus, or vice versa, this triggers Module 2 rather than Module 1 of the Travel Directive. A notable difference is that you become eligible to claim lunch under Section 3.2.9.