Claim for Reimbursement of Miscellaneous Travel Expenses

A decision was requested regarding an employee's claim for reimbursement of the expense incurred for use of a bedboard while traveling on official business. The employee was not entitled to the expenses incurred for a bedboard needed for sleeping due to a back injury because such expenses were considered part of the lodging expenses which were included in the per diem allowance. Neither was the bedboard expense reimbursable as a miscellaneous expense since the expense was personal and not essential to the transaction of official business. The cost of special equipment to enable an employee to qualify himself to perform official duties constitutes a personal expense of the employee which is not payable from appropriated funds.