GSA Ups Mileage Payment 8¢

The U.S. General Services Administration has increased the reimbursement rate for Federal workers using their own vehicles for government business from 50.5 to 58.5 cents per mile, but did not make the change retroactive to July 1, as one union had demanded.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service had previously set its reimbursement rate at 58.5 cents per mile effective July 1, and the National Treasury Employees Union called on the GSA to follow suit for all Federal workers.

NTEU: 'Modest Help'

"This action by GSA will provide some modest help for Federal employees who regularly drive in the course of their work," NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley said in a statement July 28. "However, it would have been more helpful for these dedicated public servants to have made the increase retroactive to July 1. Federal employees should not have to pay out of pocket to do their jobs. The reimbursement rate should adequately reflect workers' costs so they do not have to subsidize the Federal Government."

Ms. Kelley is pushing legislation that would raise the reimbursement rate to 70 cents per mile.