Expense Entitlements for Courses

PSAC BC education program – expense entitlements for courses

PSAC Online Education Per Diem and Loss of Salary Policy for Virtual Courses (effective Feb. 19, 2021)

NOTE: This policy applies only to virtual courses offered through PSAC Regional and/or National Education Programs. Members will not be reimbursed for participation in online, self-paced, asynchronous courses (courses in which the member completes a course on their own at their own pace and time on the PSAC online education platform).

Members who attend a virtual course which is at least 3 hours in length, whether during the week or on a weekend, will receive a $25 per diem for every full 3 hours they attend the course. Members must complete the full course before the per diem is approved.

The per diem will be calculated based on the total number of hours of the virtual course, divided by 3. For example, if a virtual course is 6 hours total in length, whether it is offered over two 3-hour evening sessions or over the course of one day, the member will receive $50 upon confirmation of full attendance and completion of the course (i.e. $25 for each full 3-hour increment of the course.) If a course is 10 hours in total, the participant would receive a $75.

Upon confirmation of full attendance and completion of the course, members attending a PSAC regional or national education virtual course during their regular hours of work, will be provided loss of salary reimbursement for the hours during which they participated in the course as well as a per diem calculated on the parameters outlined above. (see section below on Loss of Salary)

Members who do not complete the full course will not receive a partial prorated per diem except in extraordinary circumstances and with the approval of the respective Regional Coordinator.

In Person Courses

In person courses held on Weekends: Participants who are not in travel status will receive a $50 allowance per day. Participants who are in travel status will be reimbursed for expenses (travel, parking, meals) as per the PSAC policy and travel status distances listed below, upon completion of an expense claim form.

In person courses held on Weekdays: All participants will be reimbursed for expenses (travel, parking, meals) as per the PSAC policy, and travel status distances listed below, upon completion of an expense claim form.

Loss of Salary: Participants scheduled to work during a course, who are covered by a Treasury Board (PA, SV, TC, EB, FB), CFIA or Parks Agency collective agreement, will be receive a letter authorizing leave WITH pay from the PSAC Regional Office and the employer will directly invoice PSAC for any lost wages. All other participants scheduled to work during a course will be reimbursed loss of salary upon completion of an expense claim. A copy of your shift schedule with the hours of work and/or compressed work schedule must be attached. If, however, you do not have a collective agreement in place yet, a pay stub must be submitted. It is important that the classification, level, and step categories under item 6 on the claim be completed as well as the Supervisory Coordinates if applicable.

Meal Allowances for Members in Travel Status * (updated October 1, 2023)

  • Breakfast $24.35
  • Lunch $24.65
  • Dinner $60.45
  • Incidentals (paid if overnight stay required) $17.30
  • Private Accommodation Allowance $50.00
  • Mileage (if over 300 kms, prior approval must be obtained) 56.5 cents/km

* Travel Status Distances, effective January 1 2019

  • Up to 60 KM – $50 weekend education subsidy / day
  • 61 to 80 KM – $50 weekend education subsidy / day + lunch allowance each day
  • 81 to 100 KM – Travel status but travel in on first day of a 2-day training, hotel first night and travel home immediately after training.
  • 101 to 300 KM – The standard mode of travel is by POMV and members are in full travel status (in accordance with the PSAC’s national Travel Policy)
  • Over 300 KM – The standard mode of travel is by commercial air and members are in full travel status (in accordance with the PSAC’s national Travel Policy)

Union School: Only members residing more than 80km outside of the union school location will be considered in travel status and provided with accommodation. The travel status distances information listed above also applies.

In-Residence Courses: all members attending In-Residence Courses are considered in travel status and provided with accommodation. The travel status distances information listed above also applies.

Family Care Expenses

The PSAC fully recognizes that family is not solely defined as consisting of “mother and father with children” and may take several forms including, but not limited to: single parents, same-sex parents, dependant relatives residing in the household. The objective of this policy is to remove one of the barriers which prevent members from participating in union activities.

Note: A completed Family Care Expense Claim form must be submitted, accompanied by a receipt including caregiver’s name, address, telephone number, license number (if applicable) and signature, as well as the dates and hours worked and amounts charged.

Members are entitled to claim expenses related to the care of the following family members who reside on a full or part-time basis with the member:

  1. A child under 18 years of age
  2. A person with a disability
  3. An adult, who is a dependant, requiring care