Entitlement to Per Diem for Travel of Less Than 24 Hours

A request was made for a decision concerning the entitlement of Federal Home Loan Board examiners to per diem for travel of less than 24 hours where no lodging expense was incurred. The main issue presented was whether the Board may use a flat per diem rate for travel of less than 24 hours in per diem localities as well as high-rate geographical areas (HRGA). GAO was asked whether: (1) the Board may establish different per diem policies for examiners traveling less than 24 hours; (2) the Board may pay a fixed flat $3 rate for commuting expenses in lieu of per diem where travel is less than 24 hours; (3) the Board may increase the travel time limitation from 10 to 11 hours; (4) the Board properly limited employees to flat rate per diem for travel of less than 24 hours in HRGA from 1975 to 1979; (5) the Board may authorize a flat per diem rate through blanket travel orders or specific travel orders; and (6) an agency may establish a radius around an official duty station within which per diem or actual expenses will not be allowed. GAO concluded that (1) an agency need not pay the same per diem rate to different employees, but, in the interest of fairness, agencies should limit per diem under uniform guidelines applicable to all employees; (2) agencies have broad discretion to limit or deny per diem for travel of less than 24 hours under Federal regulations; (3) the Board may limit reimbursement since agencies have broad discretion to limit or restrict per diem; (4) it is within the Board's authority to pay flat per diem from July 1, 1975 to 1979, when the Board changed its policy; (5) agencies may use blanket travel orders for frequent and repeated travel within a certain geographical area; and (6) it is within the authority of an agency to deny per diem inside the radius around the official duty station and to limit the actual expense reimbursement to only reasonable expenses for meals. Futhermore, per diem or actual expense are not allowable within corporate limits of the employee's official duty station.