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

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Definitions
  3. Overview
  4. Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons
  5. Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting
  6. Request Process
  7. Responsibilities
  8. References

1. Introduction

Date of Issue: 2001-06-26

Date of Last Modification: 2008-06-27

Application: This DAOD is an order that applies to officers and non-commissioned members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF members).

Supersession:

Approval Authority: Chief of Military Personnel (CMP)

Enquiries: Director Military Careers Policy and Grievances (DMCPG)

2. Definitions

compassionate posting (affectation pour motifs personnels)

A compassionate posting means a posting approved to alleviate the personal circumstances of a CAF member who is assigned compassionate status.

compassionate status (statut particulier pour motifs personnels)

Compassionate status means the status assigned to a CAF member whose personal circumstances limit the CAF member's deployability or ability to perform duties.

contingency cost moves for personal reasons (déménagement imprévu pour motifs personnels)

Contingency cost moves for personal reasons means moves set aside from the overall move allocation to respond to personal circumstances which do not limit deployability or the ability to perform duties.

3. Overview

Context

3.1 The CAF is a professional institution in which CAF members ultimately place service to country and the needs of the CAF ahead of personal considerations. As such, CAF members are required to remain mobile and deployable to meet the needs of the CAF and to enhance training and experience. However, personal circumstances may arise that temporarily limit a CAF member's deployability or ability to perform duties. In these circumstances, the CAF member may be given special consideration in the form of compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting. A CAF member may be released if CAF requirements preclude a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting.

Core Principles

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

  1. it is in the best interest of the CAF to retain trained CAF members;
  2. the well-being of CAF members and their families is critical to the maintenance of the operational effectiveness of the CAF;
  3. personal circumstances may arise in which a CAF member 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 CAF member to deal with personal circumstances if the CAF member's deployability and ability to perform duties at the location will not be affected;
  5. compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting, may be considered if a CAF member's deployability or ability to perform duties is limited by personal circumstances; and
  6. a CAF member is subject to career restrictions if compassionate status is assigned.

Approval of Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons and Compassionate Status

3.3 The following persons may approve contingency cost moves for personal reasons and assign compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting:

For …

approval or assignment is provided by …

general and flag officers,

the Director General Military Careers (DGMC).

colonel/captain(N),

the Director Senior Appointments (DSA).

private/ordinary seaman to lieutenant-colonel/commander inclusive,

the Director Military Careers (D Mil C).

3.4 DGMC, DSA and D Mil C shall be satisfied:

  1. that an establishment vacancy exists, or is forecast to exist within a reasonable time, at the unit where a CF member is being considered for a contingency cost move for personal reasons or a compassionate posting; and
  2. that a CAF member's personal circumstances may be resolved within the specified period, and that military requirements permit it, before approving a contingency cost move for personal reasons or assigning compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting.

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4. Contingency Cost Moves for Personal Reasons

General Considerations

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

4.2 Contingency cost moves for personal reasons shall 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 may not affect the CAF member's deployability or ability to perform duties at the location to which the CAF member is requesting to be moved. A CAF member posted under a contingency cost move for personal reasons is not subject to the career restrictions of compassionate status.

4.3 Unless exceptional circumstances exist, a contingency cost move for personal reasons may only be approved once for a CAF member for the same personal circumstances.

CAF Member's Responsibilities

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

4.5 If personal circumstances change such that deployability or ability to perform duties is affected, the CAF member shall immediately advise the CAF member's commanding officer (CO).

Monitoring

4.6 The CO shall monitor the performance of a CAF member for whom a contingency cost move for personal reasons has been approved. If the CO determines that the CAF member's deployability or ability to perform duties has been negatively affected, the situation shall be reviewed and the assignment of compassionate status considered.

Duration

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

Unresolved Personal Circumstances at the End of a Posting

4.8 If the personal circumstances causing the contingency cost move for personal reasons have not been resolved by the end of the posting, the CAF member's CO shall consult with DGMC, DSA or D Mil C, as applicable, and recommend one or more of the following:

  1. compassionate status, which is accompanied with applicable career restrictions;
  2. a posting extension of a maximum of one year at the same location, if requested by the CAF member, and if the CO concludes that the personal circumstances are likely to be resolved in that period of time;
  3. normal consideration for posting; or
  4. compulsory release.

4.9 An administrative review (AR) shall be conducted in accordance with DAOD 5019-2, Administrative Review, if compulsory release may be considered.

5. Compassionate Status and Compassionate Posting

General Considerations

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

Compassionate Posting

5.2 A compassionate posting may only be approved if compassionate status is assigned.

Duration

5.3 The period of compassionate status normally does not exceed two years. At the end of the two-year period, the CAF member's CO shall consult with DGMC, DSA or D Mil C, as applicable, and recommend one or more of the following:

  1. termination of the compassionate status;
  2. an extension of a maximum of one year if the CAF member applies and if the CO considers that the personal circumstance are likely to be resolved in that period of time; or
  3. compulsory release.

5.4 An administrative review (AR) shall be conducted in accordance with DAOD 5019-2, Administrative Review, if compulsory release may be considered.

Termination

5.5 DGMC, DSA or D Mil C, as applicable, may authorize the termination of the compassionate status of a CAF member on the CO's recommendation and confirmation that the personal circumstances no longer limit the CAF member's deployability or ability to perform duties.

5.6 The termination of compassionate status does not necessarily require posting action.

AR to be Conducted

5.7 If the personal circumstances of a CAF member still limit the CAF member's deployability or ability to perform duties by the end of the approved period of compassionate status, an AR shall be conducted in accordance with DAOD 5019-2 to consider the CAF member's suitability for continued service.

Obligatory Service

5.8 Time served on compassionate status shall be included when calculating obligatory service time.

5.9 DGMC, DSA or D Mil C, as applicable, may extend the period of compassionate status for the duration of obligatory service if a CAF member does not meet the requirements for voluntary release, as described in DAOD 5049-1, Obligatory Service.

Career Restrictions for Certain CF Members

5.10 Officers of the rank of captain/lieutenant(N) and above, and non-commissioned members of the rank of corporal/leading seaman and above, shall not be promoted nor have any promotion protection during a period of compassionate status.

5.11 Before bypassing a CAF member on compassionate status for promotion, the career manager shall confirm with the CO that the requirement for the compassionate status still exists. In the event that the personal circumstances have been resolved, the compassionate status may be terminated and the CAF member promoted and posted as required to meet the needs of the CAF.

5.12 Selection boards shall therefore consider a CAF member on compassionate status in competition with other CAF members for promotion and for offers of terms of service.

5.13 Officers selected for promotion up to the rank of captain/lieutenant(N), and privates/ordinary seamen selected for promotion to corporal/leading seaman, may be promoted while on compassionate status, provided the promotion does not cause a change in the CAF member's compassionate status.

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6. Request Process

Process

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

Who Action

CAF member

  • identifies personal circumstances which may require a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting; and

  • indicates the impact of a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting, on deployability and the ability to perform duties if the CAF member's request is approved.

CO

  • investigates the request using the criteria of deployability and ability to perform duties;

  • determines if the CAF member meets the requirements for a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting;

  • seeks additional information if insufficient information is available at the unit level or if he or she does not support the request, from the Base/Wing Social Work Officer (B/WSWO), chaplain or other appropriate professionals, to determine the nature and the extent of the personal circumstances; and

  • submits all formal requests to the CAF member's career manager, provides a recommendation and indicates if he or she believes that the circumstances can be resolved by approval of the request.

B/WSWO

  • at the request of the CF member's CO, assesses the extent to which deployability and the ability to perform duties are affected by the CAF member's personal circumstances; and

  • makes a recommendation to the CO.

Career Manager

  • reviews the request and available information, and presents it to DGMC, DSA or D Mil C, as applicable;

  • if the CAF member is deployable and able to perform duties, recommends the CAF member for a contingency cost move for personal reasons;

  • if the CAF member is not deployable or able to perform duties, recommends the CAF member for compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting; and

  • if insufficient information is provided with the request to make a determination on the case, returns the request to the unit for additional information.

DGMC, DSA or D Mil C

  • makes a decision on a request for a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting.

Career Manager

  • informs the CAF member, through the appropriate chain of command, of the decision. If the request is not approved, the reasons are to be provided; and

  • initiates posting action or change of status as appropriate for those cases approved.

Gaining CO

  • for a contingency cost move for personal reasons, monitors the CAF member throughout the posting to ensure that the CAF member is working to resolve the personal circumstances and meet the conditions of the move; and

  • for compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting:

    • monitors the CAF member throughout the period of the compassionate status; and
    • at the end of the approved period, provides a recommendation in accordance with the conditions of the compassionate status or compassionate posting.

7. Responsibilities

Responsibility Table

7.1 The following table identifies the primary responsibilities associated with this DAOD:

The …

is or are responsible for …

DMCPG
  • developing policies and instructions for contingency cost moves for personal reasons and compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting.

DGMC
  • designating a portion of the annual allocation of cost moves for contingency cost moves for personal reasons and compassionate postings.

DGMC, DSA or D Mil C

  • approving or denying requests for contingency cost moves for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting; and

  • ensuring that consistent standards are used to assess all requests.

career manager
  • communicating with the CO and the CAF member regarding the status of a request.

CO

  • assisting the CAF member in receiving necessary support to resolve personal circumstances; and

  • forwarding all requests for a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status, with or without a compassionate posting, to the appropriate career manager with a recommendation.

B/WSWO
  • investigating personal circumstances at the request of the CO, considering the criteria of deployability and the ability to perform duties.

chaplains and other professionals
  • referring CAF members with personal circumstances to the CO and the B/WSWO.

CAF member

  • advising the CF member's CO, through the chain of command, of personal circumstances that may affect deployability or the ability to perform duties, as well as changes to these circumstances; and

  • making all reasonable efforts to resolve the personal circumstances that have necessitated a contingency cost move for personal reasons or compassionate status within the conditions of the posting.

8. References

Acts, Regulations, Central Agency Policies and Policy DAOD

Other References

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