Emergency Leave Travel - US Employees

Under the provisions of USAREUR Reg. 690-11, 10 Jan. 80, all Appropriated Fund US citizen employees and their family members are eligible for "emergency leave" space available round trip travel to CONUS. US citizen Non-Appropriated fund (NAF) employees and their family members are eligible only if the sponsor was recruited from CONUS and is currently serving on an overseas transportation agreement.

Death or serious illness of a member of the immediate family is considered an emergency leave situation. Other emergency situations where failure of the employee or spouse to return to CONUS would create a severe and unusual hardship (e.g., divorce hearings when custody of children is at issue and a suit has been filed/trial date established) may also be considered for emergency leave. The term "immediate family" includes the employee's or spouse's: father, mother, child, illegitimate child, stepchild, brother, sister, sole surviving blood relative, or a person in loco parentis (e.g., raised by individual in place of the parents).

Absence of an employee for "emergency leave" purposes must be approved by the supervisor. Leave is normally limited to 30 calendar days and should not exceed 90 days. Such absences are chargeable to leave (i.e., annual leave, sick leave, or leave without pay. Annual leave may be advanced by supervisory approval under the provisions of FPM supplement 990-2, Chap 630.S3 (GS) or AR 215-3, Chap 5 (NAF). Public Law employees (DoDEA teachers) may use "any purpose leave" or “leave without pay.” There is no separate "emergency leave" category. The Air Mobility Command (AMC) requires an approved leave request in order for you to sign up for space available travel.

Relatives in the United States need to know your current overseas organizational and home addresses as well as telephone numbers. When an emergency situation in the US demands your presence, the stateside relatives should contact their local Red Cross field office, providing them with the nature of the emergency, your address, duty station, telephone number and request your immediate presence. The stateside Red Cross will verify the emergency and send a teletype to the nearest overseas Red Cross field office, which will in turn attempt to notify you of the emergency. The process can take from 10 to 24 hours.

Once you are notified of the emergency, contact your school principal or other administrator for preparation of the travel orders. For divorce cases where child custody is at issue, documentation may be presented in lieu of the Red Cross message.

The space available travel entitlement applies to transoceanic travel only, i.e., the first stop in the US, which is usually Philadelphia PA, Charleston SC., St. Louis MO., McGuire AFB NJ, Dover AFB DEL., or Andrews AFB in Washington DC. All other travel and expenses are your responsibility. Additionally, there are space available processing charges which you must pay. These are currently $10 per person leaving Europe and $13 per person leaving the US. Meals on the military mission aircraft may also be purchased, if desired. More detailed instructions will be provided at the time of travel.

Updated: 12/16/2019