Payments and Leave Benefits for Employees Authorized to Evacuate During Disaster or Other Emergency Situations

1.  Purpose.

To establish policies and procedures for the issuance of payments and leave benefits to an employee when authorized to evacuate during emergencies or disasters.

2.  Background.

     a.  GSA is committed to supporting all employees and their dependents in coping with emergency or disaster situations. This GSA Order provides instruction when it is in the interest of GSA to provide payments and leave benefits to GSA employees, their dependents, or both, when they are authorized to evacuate.

     b.  The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Handbook on Pay and Leave Benefits for Federal Employees Affected by Severe Weather Conditions or Other Emergency Situations states that executive agencies may authorize salary advances, evacuation payments, and payments for travel and subsistence expenses to employees who are authorized to evacuate from an area because of imminent danger to their lives as a result of natural and man-made emergencies and disasters. The head of an agency or designated official must make the determination that an employee was officially ordered or authorized to evacuate. The OPM handbook further states that an agency may use the special allowance authority in 5 CFR 550.405 to provide allowances for subsistence expenses (including lodging) for an employee (and the employee’s dependent(s)) performing work at his or her permanent duty station whose home is uninhabitable or whose worksite is not occupiable.

     c.  Many GSA employees and their dependents are vulnerable to being impacted by natural and man-made emergencies and disasters. Such emergencies place employees and their dependents in dangerous situations and are extremely disruptive to the lives of those affected.