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The furlough time provided to international missionaries is six weeks per year of field ministry. Many find the healthiest frequency to be every two years (so typical furloughs are three months in duration). On a typical three-month home service leave, 8-12 weeks will normally be spent strengthening ministry support with individuals and churches and promoting the international ministry (MTD and recruiting). The portion may be divided among travel and vacation time for personal recuperation or spiritual preparation for the missionary and his/her family. Travel to and from the field is included in the furlough. The duration and frequency of furlough may be adjusted in coordination with the missionary's supervisor.  Missionaries may do MTD from a field location, and use part of their furlough allotted time for that activity. They may also make shorter trips to the US for fund-raising and recruiting.   However, no more than three years between visits to the US should be allowed. First-term missionaries may be required to serve two years before a furlough in order to acclimate with their ministry culture. 

International employees must consult with their supervisors to determine an appropriate time for furlough in order to minimize disruptions to the ministry. All furlough requests must be approved by a supervisor at least one month prior to the home-service departure date. Reliant recommends that furloughs are scheduled at least six months in advance. 

It is incredibly important to understand how furlough, or any time in the United States, affects your insurance coverage. If you are enrolled in the Aetna plan, your coverage will continue uninterrupted. However, while you are not subject to a deductible overseas, you will have to meet a deductible for any medical expenses incurred within the United States. Additionally, Aetna has different rates of coverage for in-network and out-of-network expenses. Please confirm with Aetna and/or your medical provider that they are in-network before receiving treatment. If you decide to use an out-of-network provider, make sure to understand the costs upfront. You can review the details of the Aetna plan here.

See also: Travel Assistance insurance for ACE International Travel Assistance information

In preparing for furlough, International employees should conduct a thorough review of their MTD status. If missionaries are below 85% of their monthly support goal, they should make a plan for MTD while on furlough. Missionaries who have a higher percentage should still consider how their monthly expenses might change during their next term and plan to raise additional funds as needed. Reliant has many options to help missionaries with sustaining MTD as it becomes a need. Missionaries can request to be connected with a coach or to a cohort of fellow missionaries for mutual encouragement and support. Contact international@reliant.org for more information.

International missionaries should notify Reliant of their travel plans for furlough using the Travel Notification form. Please include your "home base" and up-to-date contact information. You do not need to list out every city within the US that you plan to visit. Unless you inform us otherwise, we will assume you have returned to your country of service on the date noted on the form. Please send an email to international@reliant.org if your travel plans change from what you originally submitted.

Expenses incurred during home assignments are considered work-related and are eligible for reimbursement according to Reliant's reimbursement policies. Such expenses include airfare to and from the United States, transportation costs, lodging and food expenses (see Per Diem - U.S.). Some expenses (such as those for family members not employed by Reliant) may be reimbursed, but are considered taxable according to Reliant's reimbursement policies.

If you qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you will need to report any days that you spend in the US when filing Form 2555. For a standard 3-month furlough, you may not see a noticeable impact on your taxes. However, if your furlough extends beyond three months, we strongly recommend talking to a tax professional to understand your tax obligations correctly. See also Special Circumstances around Furloughs.

International missionaries are requested to schedule a professional debrief with a member of the International Team during their furloughs. This is best done between the second and fourth week of furlough. It lasts approximately 90 minutes. The professional debrief allows missionaries to inform the Reliant team about successes, challenges and needs they have experienced during their prior term as it relates to their ministry role, MTD and their employment with Reliant. We invite and encourage non-employed or associate spouses to join the professional debriefs. We recommend and expect that someone from the missionary's ministry or church will conduct a personal/spiritual debrief during the furlough.

You do not have to wait until you are returning from the field permanently to attend a debrief retreat. Many workers choose to attend one during furlough. In fact, it may be incredibly helpful in order to prepare for your next term. We recommend the DAR program from MTI, but you are welcome to explore options from different centers.