# 2024-077 Pay and Benefits, Post Living Differential

Case summary

F&R Date: 2024-10-29

The grievor argued that he should receive the Post Living Differential (PLD) allowance while undergoing training. He contended that his place of enrolment was in a Post Living Differential Area (PLDA) and that he was informed by the Recruiting Centre that he would be entitled to receive the benefit while undergoing training. The grievor also argued that the benefit did not keep up with the cost of living.

The Director General Compensation and Benefits, acting as the Initial Authority, refused to accept the grievance on the grounds that it was submitted outside the time limit prescribed in paragraph 7.06(1) of the Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Canadian Forces.

The Committee noted that allowances and benefits for the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are set by the Treasury Board and the CAF has no authority to deviate from them. To be eligible for the PLD benefit on enrolment pursuant to the Compensation and Benefits instructions for the Canadian Forces 205.45, the grievor was required to have been posted to a unit in a PLDA (i.e. assigned to duties at a unit in a PLDA) and have a principal residence located in a PLDA. Moreover, the policy defines a qualifying principal residence upon enrolment as a dwelling occupied by the member or their dependents, situated at the place where the member's household goods and effects (HG&E) were located on enrolment if that was a place of duty, from which they had not been authorized to move the HG&E at public expense.

The Committee found that the place of enrolment was not a place of duty for the grievor, nor did he perform “normal military duties” in that location. As the grievor's circumstances did not meet the purpose and criteria for eligibility for PLD set out in the applicable policy, the Committee found that the grievor was not entitled to the PLD allowance upon enrolment in the CAF. Having reached this finding, the Committee did not need to address the grievor's argument that the PLD allowance was not adjusted in pace with the cost of living.

The Committee recommended that the Final Authority not afford redress.