Temporary quarters subsistence expenses are incurred by a civilian employee and/or their immediate family while occupying temporary lodging. TQSE does not include transportation expenses incurred during occupancy of temporary lodging.
A civilian employee who is authorized a permanent change of station (PCS) may be offered a TQSE allowance based on the locality rate of the old or new Permanent Duty Station (PDS), or combination thereof, wherever temporary lodging will be occupied. The new PDS must be in the continental United States (CONUS) or in a non-foreign area outside of CONUS. See JTR Table 5-83.
New appointees, employees assigned under the Government Employees Training Act, Senior Executive Service employees making their last move home for the purpose of separation from Government service, employees returning from an overseas assignment for the purpose of separation from Government service, and employees granted a waiver to the 50-mile distance test under Title 41 CFR § 302-2.6(b). See JTR Table 5-83.
No, TQSE is a discretionary allowance. The Approving Official (AO) will determine whether TQSE is necessary and can deny the request when temporary lodging is not justified. When temporary lodging is justified, an AO authorizes only the necessary TQSE period if the civilian employee or spouse makes a house hunting trip or if a previous assignment at the new PDS enables the civilian employee to make arrangements for adequate, permanent private-sector housing. See JTR par. 054202.
Yes, the total number of days authorized for TQSE may be reduced by the number of house hunting days. However, the percentage multiplier used for calculating TQSE may not be reduced based on the number of days used for a house hunting trip.
The civilian employee may be authorized to occupy temporary lodging outside the proximity requirements and TQSE may be authorized at the locality per diem rate or actual expenses may be authorized on an individual basis; or a blanket actual expense authorization may be issued for official relocation travel performed on or after the date of the Presidentially-Declared Disaster under the Stafford Act.
The preferred TQSE reimbursement method is TQSE Lodgings Plus (TQSE (LP)). Reimbursement is based on the locality per diem rate and the employee is reimbursed lodging expenses up to the locality’s lodging per diem rate, as supported by receipts. Meal and incidental expense allowances are based on the locality per diem rate and are not itemized. If TQSE Actual Expense (AE) and/or TQSE Lump Sum (LS) is offered in addition to TQSE (LP), then the AO may offer it to the civilian employee in place of TQSE (LP).
Under TQSE Actual Expense (TQSE ((AE)) method, reimbursement is based on the locality per diem rate and the employee must document and itemize all temporary lodging, lodging taxes, meals, and incidental expenses. Under TQSE Lump Sum (TQSE (LS)), a percentage of the maximum applicable per diem rate is paid to the employee for a maximum of 30 days of TQSE. Under TQSE (LS), there is no requirement to document or itemize expenses; however, the employee must certify that they occupied temporary lodging.
Temporary lodging taxes are not included in the daily temporary lodging rate and may be documented as a separate TQSE (LP) or TQSE (AE) miscellaneous expense. Lodging taxes for TQSE (LS) are included in your overall lump sum amount. Laundry or dry cleaning expenses are included in the meals and incidental (M&IE) allowance and are not separately reimbursed.
For TQSE (LP) and TQSE (AE) methods, the AO may initially authorize you to claim expenses in increments of 30 days or less, not to exceed 60 consecutive days. The AO may authorize an extension of up to 60 additional consecutive days, for a maximum total of 120 consecutive days if there is a compelling reason to continue occupying temporary lodging. For TQSE (LS), the AO may authorize up to a maximum of 30 consecutive days and extensions are not allowed.
The civilian employee will be paid for their actual daily temporary lodging cost and a daily M&IE allowance not to exceed the single maximum lodging amount and the single maximum M&IE amount for the applicable per diem rate for the locality at the old or new official station or combination thereof, wherever temporary lodging will be occupied. The TQSE expenses must be reasonable and if expenses exceed the maximum allowable amount, they will not be reimbursed for more than the maximum allowable amount. TQSE (LP) rates change after 30 days in temporary lodging, see JTR Table 5-83a for civilian employee, spouse, and dependent percentages.
The civilian employee will be paid for their actual TQSE incurred, provided the expenses are reasonable and do not exceed the maximum allowable amount, based on the locality per diem rate. TQSE (AE) rates change after 30 days in temporary lodging, see JTR Table 5-83b for civilian employee, spouse, and dependent percentages.
The civilian employee will receive a fixed payment that is based on the locality per diem rate at either the old or new PDS. TQSE (LS) is limited to a maximum of 30 days and expenses past 30 days will not be covered. See JTR Table 5-86 for civilian employee, spouse, and dependent percentages.