# 2021-296 Pay and Benefits, Education allowance
Education allowance
Case summary
F&R Date: 2022-09-28
The grievor contested Working Group (WG) B's denial of reimbursement for expenses incurred for private music lessons for his dependant while posted outside of Canada. The grievor's dependant was working towards completing their high school degree with an arts certificate, however the school at post had chosen to cancel the practical component of their education due to COVID concerns. To ensure that his dependant would not be disadvantaged in comparison to their peers back in Canada (who were still receiving the practical education), he had arranged for private lessons as a means to replace the missing education.
The Initial Authority denied the grievance, claiming that the deficiency in education was not attributable to foreign service but to the chosen specialty program. They further stated that there was no provision under the Foreign Service Directives (FSD) 34 to approve the expense.
The Committee found that the intent of the policy is to provide financial assistance for members serving outside of Canada to ensure that their dependent children can obtain an education that approximates Canadian standards. It also established that the purpose of FSD 34 is to enable dependants to re-enter the Canadian school system with as little disruption as possible. The school at post failed to meet the Canadian standard of compatible education as defined by FSD 34 when it chose to cancel the practical component. The expense sought by the grievor was required to achieve a compatible education and facilitate his dependant's re-entry into the Canadian school system. The Committee thus concluded that the policy permits the reimbursement of expenses required to achieve compatible education while members serve out of country.
The Committee further found that WG B's decision to deny the grievor's request for reimbursement was not justified nor made in accordance with applicable disposition. The appropriate interdepartmental coordinating committee contemplated by FSD 34 is WG A and that the recommendation of WG A is required for the relevant deputy head designated for this purpose to authorize Education Allowance according to several subsections of FSD 34.1 and 34.2.
The Committee recommended that the Final Authority grant redress by asking WG A to make a new determination on this grievance, with the support of reimbursing the education expenses.
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