Guide for steps to follow for requesting a Contingency cost move for personal reasons

Step 1: Submitting your Request

Submit your Contingency cost move request in writing to your Commanding Officer through your chain of command as soon as you believe your personal situation is affected by exceptional circumstances. This is crucial to getting your request addressed as quickly as possible.

We recommend you seek help from your supervisor or a senior Orderly Room staff member to prepare your written request. Give your memorandum the title of “Request for Contingency cost move for personal reasons”. A recent article in The Maple Leaf explains how to use the elements of the DESC model—describe, express, specify and consequence—to help you effectively communicate your needs. Be sure to include the following information:

• your name and initials,
• your Service Number (SN),
• your Military Occupational Structure Identification Code (MOSID),
• your unit name,
• your Unit Identification Code (UIC),
• the date by which you need an answer,
• a description of your personal situation including why you consider the circumstances to be exceptional in nature,
• a confirmation that you will be employable and deployable if your request is approved, and
• any supporting documents such as the diagnosis and recommendations of medical professionals, social worker evaluations, and academic documents.

Mark your memorandum as PROTECTED B.

Step 2: Your Commanding Officer reviews your request

Once received, your Unit Commanding Officer will review your request. This means the Commanding Officer will:

• investigate your situation,
• determine its urgency based on available information,
• seek additional information from your Base or Wing Social Worker, your Chaplain, or other professionals for additional guidance in determining the extent of the exceptional nature of the circumstances surrounding your personal situation, and
• determine if you meet the requirements of a Contingency cost move for personal reasons.

For Contingency cost move request, your Commanding Officer has the authority to make a recommendation, but not to make a decision. See Step 6 below.

There is no timeline to complete this second step.

Step 3: Your Base or Wing social worker assessment

When your Commanding Officer asks for a social worker assessment of your personal situation, the social worker is required to do the following:

• assess the extent to which your personal situation affects your deployability and ability to perform duties. As part of this assessment, the social worker may ask to meet with you and your family, and
• provide a written recommendation to your Commanding Officer once all relevant documentation has been received, but no later than 14 days after assessment completion.

Step 4: Your Commanding Officer contacts your Career Manager

Upon completion of Step 3, your Commanding officer will submit a formal request for Contingency cost move to your career manager. This submission must include:

• your Commanding Officer’s letter describing your circumstances as well as an assessment of whether the request can resolve your situation,
• your Commanding Officer’s recommendation,
• your social worker’s report and recommendation,
• your written request, and
• any other relevant information.

There is no timeline for completion of this step.

Step 5: Your career manager prepares your file for decision

Your career manager submits your e-file for an internal review via the section head to the Director of Military Careers (D Mil C) for consideration. This usually takes three to five working days.

Step 6: The Appropriate Authority Decides 

Who decides on your file depends on your rank and military occupation. Whether it be the Director General Military Careers (DGMC), the Director Senior Appointments (DSA) or the Director of Military Careers (D Mil C), the appropriate authority will decide and then inform your career manager about that decision. This usually takes three to five working days.

Step 7: Your Career Manager Advises in Writing

Your career manager advises you through your Commanding Officer about the decision by way of a Protected B letter or message that is usually sent via an encrypted e-mail. This usually occurs within two working days.

The letter or message will provide you with decision information. If your Contingency cost move request is denied, you will be told why. If your request is approved, you will be informed about the launch of the posting actions.

Step 8: If you are dealing with a request denial

If your Contingency cost move request is denied, you have two options.

If you feel something was missing from your request or that new developments have arisen, you should provide this information to your chain of command for forwarding to the approving authority for review and consideration.

Following this, if you remain unsatisfied with the denial you may submit a grievance. For more information, refer to our Redress of Grievance information.

Step 9: Keeping your Commanding Officer informed during your Contingency cost move

The duration of your Contingency cost move posting for personal reasons will usually be the same as the standard posting duration for all CAF members who hold your same rank and military occupation. At the end of this period, you will be considered for posting in the same manner as other CAF members. 

At any time during your posting, you must inform your Commanding Officer if your situation has been resolved. If your situation is not resolved by the end of the approval period, you must submit a request for a Contingency cost move posting extension. You may also make a request for a Compassionate Status. Subsequently, your Commanding Officer will order another social worker assessment which in turn will be sent along with a recommendation to your career manager for the Director of Military Careers (D Mil C) consideration.

Step 10: Your career manager conducts a second review

Based on the results of Step 9, your career manager will conduct a second review of your file. This will result in one or more of the following four recommendations for your military career:

• the provision of compassionate status accompanied by applicable career restrictions;
• a posting extension of up to one year at the same location if you make an extension request and if your Commanding Officer in consultation with your social worker feel your personal situation is likely to be resolved during the extension;
• normal consideration for posting; or
• compulsory release on the basis of a formal Administrative Review as described in DAOD 5019-2, Administrative Review.

References:

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

DAOD 5023-1, Minimum Operational Standards Related to Universality of Service - Canada.ca

DAOD 5019-2, Administrative Review - Canada.ca