Can I get my travel costs and hotel bills paid back for my Tribunal work?

The situation

I started working as a member of the Tribunal here in Canada back in January of this year. It has been a busy few months, but last week, from the 12th to the 15th of May, I had to travel quite a distance from my home in Halifax to attend hearings in Ottawa. During those four days, I spent a total of $850 on train tickets, local taxi fares, and a modest hotel stay. I also had to pay for several meals while I was away from my usual residence. I have already sent a formal email to the administrative office with all my receipts attached, hoping to receive a pay cheque for these out-of-pocket costs, but they haven't replied to me yet. I am a bit worried because I am not sure if there is a specific limit on how much I can claim for my living expenses or if there is a standard government programme that dictates the maximum amount they are allowed to reimburse me. I need to know if I am entitled to have these specific travel and accommodation expenses covered by the government or if I am stuck paying for them myself.

Detailed Analysis

Under the Canadian Human Rights Act, you have a legal right to be paid back for costs you incur while doing your job. Specifically, the law states that "Members are entitled to be paid travel and living expenses incurred in carrying out duties as members of the Tribunal while absent from their place of residence"^[1]. This means your $850 spent on train tickets, taxis, a hotel, and meals between May 12th and May 15th while traveling from Halifax to Ottawa should be covered because you were away from your home to attend hearings.

However, there is a catch regarding how much you actually get back. The law specifies that "the expenses must not exceed the maximum limits authorized by the Treasury Board directives for employees of the Government of Canada"^[1]. The Treasury Board is the group of government officials that manages the federal budget and sets rules for spending. This means that while you are entitled to reimbursement, the government will not pay more than the specific dollar amounts allowed by their internal policy for things like hotel rates or meal costs. If your "modest hotel stay" or meals exceeded these pre-set limits, you might have to pay the difference yourself.

Because you are a member of the Tribunal, you are also "deemed to be employed in the federal public administration"^[1]. This status confirms that the standard rules for federal government employees apply to your expense claims.

It is currently unclear if the administrative office has received your email or if they are processing it according to a specific timeline. The provided statutes do not list a specific deadline for when the office must respond to your claim.

Statutory Citations

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