Thread: New Hire Benefits

All,

I had some questions and have been searching on the forum and online and have yet to find any answers. I was recently selected for an 1811 position with a DoD agency and am trying to find out what benefits I receive as far as household goods shipments, travel/per diem expenses and house hunting time as a new hire. I am prior military but this is my first DoD civilian job. I do not own a home and I believe new hires are not eligible for the house buy-back program anyway.

I was looking at information in the Joint Federal Travel Reg. (https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/faqpcs.cfm) and there appears to be a lot of information on PCS, but I heard new hires weren't entitled to everything. I was hoping someone might have some insight into this.

I tried contacting the TMO office but they pretty much said they can't give a definite without orders, which I probably wont have for a few weeks.

If this type of information is posted else, I apologize, I couldn't find anything.

DB,
I think it depends on what was offered to you at the time of hire.

For instance, I made the move from the USMS to ATF and was not provided any relocation assistance. This was spelled out in the announcement that I applied under. To explain further, the annoucement said that even though by federal regulation I might be entitled to a paid move, to apply under this announcement I had to waive my paid move.

I would check the job announcement and see if it mentions what relocation benefits were offered.

Good luck.

It only had one line in the announcement about it. It just said, "relocation expenses may or may not be paid." When I interviewed and through working with the HR rep they said they'll move household goods, but nothing in writing or further detail about other benefits.

My understanding is that the only prior military benefit you carry into civilian service is credit for years of service towards vacation time calculations and those little "thanks for X years of service" certificates. Otherwise you are just a new employee. My organization paid for my household goods packing and shipping and followed rules very similar to DoD's joint travel regulation as far as travel per diem was concerned. No house hunting days at all. Zero. I got five "admin days" to do all the stuff you need to do for moving to a new state (move in to a place, utilities, driver's license, etc).