# 2017-135 Pay and Benefits, Family Care Assistance, Rations and Quarters, Separation Expense

Case summary

F&R Date: 2018-08-28

The grievor was a single mother with sole custody of her child when she enrolled through the Regular Officer Training Program. The move of her dependent, household goods and effects was prohibited and she was required to live in dormitories for the entire duration of her four-year long university studies. She requested Family Care Assistance (FCA), arguing that, as she was away from her residence on training, she was eligible for this benefit. Her request was ultimately denied nearly four years after her initial submission. She also argued that she met the requirements for separation expense (SE). As redress, the grievor asked for reimbursement for childcare expenses through the FCA. She also requested free rations and quarters, as well as other benefits associated to SE benefits for the period in question.

The Director General Compensation and Benefits, as the Initial Authority, concluded that the grievor was not entitled to FCA, but that she met the criteria for SE. Accordingly, he granted quarters at public expense for the duration of her academic training and rations at public expense until February 2013, after which rations were no longer provided at public expense as part of SE benefits.

The Committee found that FCA is a short-term benefit to provide financial assistance with costs of childcare that would not normally be required and result from a Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member being temporarily away from the family home for duty reasons. There is a caveat that the dependents and the principal residence must be located at the CAF member's normal place of duty. The Committee therefore concluded that, as her residence and the place where her dependent resided was not located at her normal place of duty, the grievor was not entitled to FCA. The Committee also found that SE benefits cannot be granted on the first posting following recruitment, and therefore concluded that the grievor was not entitled to SE benefits.

The Committee nonetheless found the CAF were well aware that they were recruiting a single mother and that they were asking her to live apart from her child, of whom she had sole custody, for a four-year period. This situation placed an unfair burden on the grievor. The Committee found that no CAF policy contemplates such as a situation and that the grievor's chain of command failed to address her situation and to pursue sensible options. Therefore, the Committee concluded that the grievor had been treated unfairly and recommended the remittance of quarters and rations for the entire duration of her academic training.