Policy

HHS travel policies for employees (not including commissioned officers of the Commissioned Corps, U.S. Public Health Service (Corps), unless specified otherwise at the beginning of the section) are governed by the Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), which is issued by the General Services Administration (GSA.) The FTR implements statutory requirements and Executive Branch policies for travel performed or conducted by Federal civilian employees and others authorized to travel at Government expense. The FTR is located on GSA’s website (see the link below.)

The HHS Travel Manual, issued by the Office of the ASA, PSC, AOS, DTS, HHS Travel Office, is the official documentation of Department-wide supplemental policy and guidance to the FTR for HHS civilian employees.

Many provisions of the FTR require agencies to develop specific internal policies, procedures, and systems to administer the regulations. The HHS Travel Manual provides supplemental policy and guidance on key FTR provisions, where a Department-wide, standard supplemental policy is deemed appropriate. OPDIV/STAFFDIVs may then augment the FTR and/or Department level policy with their own supplemental policy guidance, which must be consistent with the FTR and the Department’s policy requirements. Note that OPDIVs/STAFFDIVs may choose to implement certain policies in a more restrictive manner.

• HHS 2012 Travel Policy Manual   
• Federal Travel Regulations for Federal employees (FTR)
• Joint Federal Travel Regulations for Military employees (JFTR)