[Reimbursement for Locksmith Fee Incurred During Official Travel]

A Federal employee appealed a Claims Group decision which denied his claim for reimbursement of expenses incurred when he locked himself out of a rental car while traveling on Government business. The car rental agency refused to deliver an extra set of keys, and he was forced to hire a locksmith to open the car. The employee's travel voucher for the trip included a claim for reimbursement of the locksmith fee. This claim was denied by his agency and the GAO Claims Group. Federal Travel Regulations require that employee travel expenses be limited to those expenses essential to the transaction of official business. GAO found that the employee's own action of locking himself out of the car, not official business, caused his incurring the locksmith fee. Accordingly, GAO found no authority to reimburse the employee for the locksmith fee and the determination of the Claims Group was sustained.