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FWS Employee's Claim for House-Hunting Expenses

B-195787 Jun 11, 1980
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Highlights

An advance decision was requested concerning the propriety of paying the expenses of a househunting trip incident to an employee's permanent change of station. According to the record, the employee's travel authorizaton included househunting expenses and the employee was informed that he would be allowed to perform the househunting upon arrival at his new location. Upon arrival at the new duty station, the employee immediately took 6 days to seek a residence before reporting to work. Because the employee would have been entitled to such expenses for no more than 6 days including traveltime, if he had completed his househunting prior to moving, the allowance of the full 6 days after arrival where no additional travel was involved was questioned. In a previous decision, GAO allowed payment for househunting expenses where the employee remained at his new duty station. It was pointed out that, although the regulations authorize round-trip travel for an employee to seek a residence, the regulations also contain guidelines to eliminate unnecessary trips. Because the reporting date and the househunting trip were so close together in this case, it was in the interest of the government for the employee to remain at his new duty station instead of creating unnecessary travel expenses. Applicable regulations and previous decisions did not indicate a required reduction in time allowed for househunting based upon the travel time involved. It was held that the employee may be paid the allowances for the full 6 calendar days.

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