5 U.S.C. § 5924 — Cost-of-living allowances

The following cost-of-living allowances may be granted, when applicable, to an employee in a foreign area: (1) A post allowance to offset the difference between the cost of living at the post of assignment of the employee in a foreign area and the cost of living in the District of Columbia, except that employees receiving the temporary subsistence allowance under section 5923(1) are ineligible for a post allowance under this paragraph. (2) A transfer allowance for extraordinary, necessary, and reasonable subsistence and other relocation expenses (including unavoidable lease penalties), not otherwise compensated for, incurred by an employee incident to establishing himself at a post of assignment in— (A) a foreign area (including costs incurred in the United States, its territories or possessions, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or the areas and installations in the Republic of Panama made available to the United States pursuant to the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977 and related agreements prior to departure for a post of assignment in a foreign area); or (B) the United States after the employee agrees in writing to remain in Government service for 12 months after transfer, unless separated for reasons beyond the control of the employee that are acceptable to the agency concerned. (3) A separate maintenance allowance to assist an employee who is compelled or authorized, because of dangerous, notably unhealthful, or excessively adverse living conditions at the employee’s post of assignment in a foreign area, or for the convenience of the Government, or who requests such an allowance because of special needs or hardship involving the employee or the employee’s spouse or dependents, to meet the additional expenses of maintaining, elsewhere than at the post, the employee’s spouse or dependents, or both. (4) An education allowance or payment of travel costs to assist an employee with the extraordinary and necessary expenses, not otherwise compensated for, incurred because of his service in a foreign area or foreign areas in providing adequate education for his dependents (or, to the extent education away from post is involved, official assignment to service in such area or areas), as follows: (A) An allowance not to exceed the cost of obtaining such kindergarten, elementary and secondary educational services as are ordinarily provided without charge by the public schools in the United States (including such educational services as are provided by the States under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), plus, in those cases when adequate schools are not available at the post of the employee, board and room, and periodic transportation between that post and the school chosen by the employee, not to exceed the total cost to the Government of the dependent attending an adequate school in the nearest United States locality where an adequate school is available, without regard to section 3324(a) and (b) of title 31. When travel from school to post is infeasible, travel may be allowed between the school attended and the home of a designated relative or family friend or to join a parent at any location, with the allowable travel expense not to exceed the cost of travel between the school and the post. The amount of the allowance granted shall be determined on the basis of the educational facility used. (B) The travel expenses of dependents of an employee to and from a secondary or post-secondary educational institution, not to exceed one annual trip each way for each dependent, except that an allowance payment under subparagraph (A) may not be made for a dependent during the 12 months following the arrival of the dependent at the selected educational institution under authority contained in this subparagraph. (C) In those cases in which an adequate school is available at the post of the employee, if the employee chooses to educate the dependent at a school away from post, the education allowance which includes board and room, and periodic travel between the post and the school chosen, shall not exceed the total cost to the Government of the dependent attending an adequate school at the post of the employee. (D) Allowances provided pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B) may include, at the election of the employee, payment or reimbursement of the costs incurred to store baggage for the employee’s dependent at or in the vicinity of the dependent’s school during one trip per year by the dependent between the school and the employee’s duty station, except that such payment or reimbursement may not exceed the cost that the Government would incur to transport the baggage in connection with the trip, and such payment or reimbursement shall be in lieu of transportation of the baggage.