Cost-of-living allowances

§ 5924. Cost-of-living allowances The following cost-of-living allowances may be granted, when applicable, to an employee in a foreign area: (1) A post allowance to offset the difference between the cost of living at the post of assignment of the employee in a foreign area and the cost of living in the District of Columbia. (2) A transfer allowance for extraordinary, necessary, and reasonable expenses, not otherwise compensated for, incurred by an employee incident to establishing himself at a post of assignment in— (A) a foreign area; or (B) the United States between assignments to posts in foreign areas. 80 Stat. 512 (3) A separate maintenance allowance to assist an employee who is compelled, because of dangerous, notably unhealthful, or excessively adverse living conditions at his post of assignment in a foreign area, or for the convenience of the Government, to meet the additional expense of maintaining, elsewhere than at the post, his wife or his dependents, or both. (4) An education allowance or payment of travel costs to assist an employee with the extraordinary and necessary expenses, not otherwise compensated for, incurred because of his service in a foreign area or foreign areas in providing adequate education for his dependents, as follows: (A) An allowance not to exceed the cost of obtaining such elementary and secondary educational services as are ordinarily provided without charge by the public schools in the United States, plus, in those cases when adequate schools are not available at the post of the employee, board and room, and periodic transportation between that post and the nearest locality where adequate schools are available, without regard to section 529 of title 31. The amount of the allowance granted shall be determined on the basis of the educational facility used. (B) The travel expenses of dependents of an employee to and from a school in the United States to obtain an American secondary or undergraduate college education, not to exceed one trip each way for each dependent for the purpose of obtaining each type of education. An allowance payment under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (4) may not be made for a dependent during the 12 months following his arrival in the United States for secondary education under authority contained in this subparagraph (B). Notwithstanding section 5921(6) of this title, travel expenses, for the purpose of obtaining undergraduate college education, may be authorized under this subparagraph (B), under such regulations as the President may prescribe, for dependents of employees who are citizens of the United States stationed in the Canal Zone.