Claim for Expenses of Training at Non-Government Facilities

The Department of the Interior requested a decision regarding the payment of expenses of training at a non-Government facility. An employee submitted a request for approval to attend a course of instruction. The request was not received by the division of personnel services until 5 days after the beginning date of the course. The signature of a duly authorized official of the division is required for training to be approved. The request would have been approved had it reached the division in a timely manner. The question raised regarded the propriety of retroactive approval of training sponsored by a non-Government facility. Training regulations provide that the head of an agency may except certain categories of training from the requirement for advance execution of a continued service agreement and hence from the requirement for advance authorization for an employee selected for training that does not exceed 80 hours within a single program. The course attended by the employee fell within this exception since it did not exceed 80 hours. GAO had no objection to payment of the cost of training if approved by the agency pursuant to their regulations and if sufficient funds existed to cover such costs.