BIA Employee's Claim for Travel Expense Incident to House-Hunting Trip

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) requested an advance decision on an employee's claim for travel expenses incident to a house-hunting trip he took prior to his transfer to another BIA duty station. GAO held that the employee was not entitled to reimbursement of such travel expenses, since: (1) the employee failed to obtain proper advance authorization and sign the required employment agreement prior to performance of the trip; and (2) no administrative errors occurred. Accordingly, the claim was denied.