Section 1

A. The Employer agrees to pay a public transportation benefit to those SEC employees who qualify and use public transportation or certified vanpools. The Employer will offer a direct benefit of up to the maximum permitted by law per month for each qualified employee, subject to available funding.

B. Within sixty (60) days of the Department of Transportation's authorization of a government wide increase, the Employer will offer a direct benefit up to the new maximum amount for each qualified employee.  If, due to budgetary considerations, the Employer cannot pay this amount, the direct benefit shall remain at the then current amount per month for each qualified employee and the parties agree to re-open negotiations on this Article.

C. The amount of the benefit provided to each qualified employee is dependent on that employee's actual commuting costs each month and cannot exceed the actual costs incurred.

Section 2

Public transportation benefit applicants are required to complete form SEC - 2445 (Headquarters and Regional offices employees who receive monthly transit benefits) or form SEC - 2501 (Regional office employees with annual transit pass programs) prior to acceptance into this program.  Applicants must certify that they use public transportation or certified vanpools for all or part of their commute on a regular basis.  An application is required to enroll in the transit benefit program and a new application must be completed if an employee:  (a) changes to a new local commuting area; (b) has a name change; (c) changes their home address; or (d) resumes their participation in the transit benefit program after a period of non-participation. Approved employees must complete a certification form (SEC - 2446, Transit Benefit Certification Form) each time they are issued a transportation benefit.

Section 3

An employee named on a worksite parking permit with the Agency or any other Federal agency is not eligible to receive the public transportation benefit.