[Reconsideration of Claim for Real Estate Expenses]

An employee of the Department of Housing and Urban Development appealed a Claims Group settlement which disallowed his claim for real estate expenses incident to his change of official duty station. The claimant's wife obtained employment at a private corporation after the relocation and, after she attained stature with the firm, it paid the expenses for which the claimant now seeks reimbursement. In the opinion of GAO, the purpose of the applicable law and travel regulations is to reimburse transferred employees only for real estate expenses actually paid by the employee, but not to reimburse employees for such expenses which have been paid by a third party. Accordingly, the Claims Group settlement which denied reimbursement of the real estate expenses was sustained.