Canadian Armed Forces Military Personnel Instruction 02/25 – Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons, Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting

1. Identification

Date of Issue: 2025-03-27

Application: This CAFMPI applies to officers and non-commissioned members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Regular Forces (Reg F) only. For greater certainty, Reg F members posted to a CAF transition unit are also eligible to submit a request pursuant to this CAFMPI.

Supersession: DAOD 5003-6, Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons, Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting

Approval Authority: Chief of Military Personnel (CMP)

Enquiries: Administrative Response Centre (ARC)

2. Definitions

Contingency cost move for personal reasons (déménagement imprévu pour motifs personnels)

A posting to alleviate the personal circumstances that affect a member but not their employability. (Defence Terminology Bank, record number 43025)

Note – This type of posting does not involve CAF members on compassionate status.

Compassionate status (statut particulier pour motifs personnels)

A status granted to a member whose personal circumstances limit their employability. (Defence Terminology Bank, record number 42973)

Related Term – compassionate posting

Compassionate posting (affectation pour motifs personnels)

A posting to alleviate the personal circumstances of a member with a compassionate status. (Defence Terminology Bank, record number 42972)

Related Term - compassionate status

3. Abbreviations

4. Policy direction

Context

4.1 The CAF is a professional institution in which members ultimately must place service to Canada as expressed and ordered through lawful authority ahead of personal considerations. Members are required to meet a variety of obligations. However, personal circumstances may arise that temporarily impact upon a member's ability to perform duties. In these circumstances, a member may be given special consideration in the form of a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting.

4.2 This instruction establishes the framework for contingency cost moves, compassionate status, and compassionate postings for Regular Force (Reg F) members. It outlines possible measures and the conditions under which they may be granted.

4.3 The CAF acknowledges the changing demographics of Canadian society and recognizes that personal circumstances may involve a broad range of diverse familial, cultural, and other situations. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Core Principles

4.4 The CAF policy regarding compassionate and personal situations is based on the following core principles that recognize the mission of the CAF, and the value of members in fulfilling that mission:

1. the well-being of members and their families is critical to the maintenance of the operational effectiveness of the CAF;
2. it is in the best interest of the CAF to retain trained members;
3. personal circumstances may arise in which members would benefit from a posting to a specific geographic location or a posting cancellation;
4. a contingency cost move for personal reasons to a specific geographic location may be considered to permit a member to deal with personal circumstances if the member’s deployability and ability to perform duties at the location in the assigned position will not be affected;

4.5 Compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting, may be considered for a member who has reached OFP if that member’s deployability or ability to perform duties is limited by personal circumstances and the member is unable to perform the full spectrum of duties anytime and anywhere; and the member is subject to career restrictions if compassionate status is assigned as detailed in section 6.6.

Approval of Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons and Compassionate Status with or without a posting

4.6 The following persons may approve contingency cost moves for exceptional personal reasons and assign compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting for a Reg F member:

4.7 DGMC, DSA and D Mil C will consider as exceptional a situation or set of interrelated situations faced by a member that is out of the ordinary, unusual, unforeseen and/or unavoidable. The interpretation of subject factors and the determination of the exceptional aspect of situations reside with the approval authority.

4.8 DGMC, DSA and D Mil C must be satisfied that an establishment vacancy exists, or is forecast to exist within a reasonable time, at the unit where a member is being considered for a contingency cost move for exceptional personal reasons or a compassionate posting.

5. Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons 

General Considerations

5.1 Postings to support personal circumstances are one of the discretionary uses of the allocation of contingency cost moves for personal reasons.

5.2 Contingency cost moves for personal reasons must only be considered to deal with exceptional personal circumstances that do not meet the requirements of compassionate status or a compassionate posting. The personal circumstances must not affect the member's deployability or ability to perform duties at the location to which the member is requesting to be moved and a vacant position must exist. Members posted under a contingency cost move for personal reasons are not subject to the career restrictions of compassionate status.

5.3 A contingency cost move for personal reasons may only be approved once for a member for the same personal circumstances.

Members' Responsibilities

5.4 Members must confirm that the personal circumstances for which the contingency cost move for personal reasons are requested do not limit the member's deployability or ability to perform duties at the location to which members are requesting to be moved. This includes attendance on training courses or examinations normally required for career progression, military operations, or exercises.

5.5 If personal circumstances change such that deployability or ability to perform duties are affected, the member must immediately advise their CO.

Monitoring

5.6 The CO must monitor the performance of the member for whom a contingency cost move for personal reasons has been approved. If the member is no longer able to deploy or perform assigned duties the assignment of compassionate status may be considered. 

Duration

5.7 The duration of a posting for a contingency cost move for personal reasons is normally the same as the standard duration of postings of members of the same rank and military occupation. At the end of the posting, members are considered for posting in the same manner as other members of the same rank and military occupation.

Unresolved Personal Circumstances at the End of a Posting

5.8 If the exceptional personal circumstances for which a CCM posting was granted continue to exist at the end of a CCM posting, the member may:

1. request to be normally considered for any posting; 
2. request a posting extension at the same location, if the CO concludes that the personal circumstances still exist; or
3. where deployability/ability to perform duties is limited, apply for compassionate status with or without a compassionate posting, which is accompanied with applicable career restrictions.

5.9 Where a member does not request to be normally considered for any posting at the conclusion of the initial contingency cost move posting or the conclusion of any subsequent extension, an administrative review must be conducted in accordance with DAOD 5019-2, Administrative Review, to consider the member’s suitability for continued service.

6. Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting 

General Considerations

6.1 If the personal circumstances of a member limit the member's deployability or ability to perform duties, compassionate status may be assigned, with or without a compassionate posting.

Compassionate Posting

6.2 A compassionate posting may only be approved if compassionate status is assigned and DGMC confirms that sufficient funds exist for a relocation at public expense for compassionate posting to be authorized

Duration and Termination

6.3 The period of compassionate status may be granted up to three years. Members must provide an update to their chain of command six months prior to the ending date of their compassionate status. At the end of the approved period, the member's CO must consult with DGMC, DSA or D Mil C, as applicable, and recommend one or more of the following;

1. a possible extension;
2. explore possible options such as and not limited to IR, etc; 
3. termination of the compassionate status - the termination of compassionate status does not necessarily require posting action; or
4. if the personal circumstances of a member still limit the member's deployability or ability to perform duties by the end of the approved period of compassionate status, an AR must be conducted in accordance with DAOD 5019-2 to consider the member's suitability for continued service.

Exception

6.4 Requests for compassionate status with or without posting from members who have not met all conditions of the CAF Probationary Period (suitability, medical, and security) or who have not reached OFP and/or yet completed their full occupation qualification will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to allow­­ occupational training if possible­.

Obligatory Service

6.5 Time served on compassionate status shall be counted toward any period of obligatory service by DGMC, DSA or D Mil C, as applicable. Compassionate status may be extended for the duration of any period of obligatory service if a member does not meet the requirements for voluntary release, as described in DAOD 5049-1, Obligatory Service.

Career Restrictions

6.6 CAF members on a period of compassionate status remain eligible for consideration for promotion.

6.7 Promotion to the non-controlled ranks up to Capt/Lt(N) and Cpl/S1 may still occur for members on a period of compassionate status. CAF members above Capt/Lt(N) and Cpl/S1 will not be promoted to substantive rank while on a period of compassionate status. Promotion to acting rank may be granted.

6.8 If acting rank cannot be granted to a CAF member on a period of compassionate status because there is no appropriate vacancy in the establishment, the CM must confirm with the CO that the requirement for the compassionate status still exists before bypassing them for promotion. If the personal circumstances have been resolved, the compassionate status may be terminated, and the member promoted and posted to meet the needs of the service.

7. Request Process 

Process

7.1 Each level involved with the request must action within 10 working days except the Base/Wing Social Work Officer who as per the CFHS Gp Instr 5100-43, Social Work Report, has 14 working days once they received all pertinent documents.

7.2 A request for a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting, is processed as follows:

Note – Members who believe that they have been aggrieved by any decision, act or omission under this CAFMPI may submit a grievance in accordance with QR&O Volume 1 Chapter 7, Grievances.

8. Responsibilities

Responsibilities table

8.1 The following table identifies the responsibilities associated with this instruction:

9. References

Acts, Regulations, Central Agency Policies and Associated DAOD

• QR&O Vol 1 Chap 7, Grievances
• DAOD 5023-0, Universality of Service
• DAOD 5003-0, Restrictions on Duty and Individual Limitations

Other References

• DAOD 5019-2, Administrative Review
• DAOD 5019-4, Remedial Measures
• DAOD 5049-1, Obligatory Service
• CFAO 15-2, Release – Regular Force (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• CFAO 34-28, Dependants – Medical Screening (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• CFAO 56-5, Legal Assistance (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• CFHS Gp Instr 5100-43, Social Work Report (this document can only be accessed on the DWAN)
• CAFMPI 01/17, Imposed Restriction
• CAFMPI 05/24, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Probationary Period