[Request for Advance Decision on Entitlement to Travel and Transportation Expenses]

An advance decision was requested concerning the appropriate travel and transportation entitlements of an employee who, while on an intergovernmental personnel assignment, purchased a home at his temporary duty station because of difficulties in finding adequate temporary lodging. The employee received more than the cash advance allowed under agency regulations because of the expenses which he incurred in the purchase of the house. The employee's travel orders authorized him per diem as well as additional subsistence expenses. GAO has stated that an agency should determine whether an employee is authorized expenses applicable to a change of station or per diem in lieu of subsistence. Under Federal Travel Regulations, per diem allowances are not provided for travel and temporary duty for extended assignments such as 2 years. In the present case, the employee was given per diem at the maximum rate because of the relocation expenses he had incurred. However, authorization of relocation expenses would have been proper in this case, because per diem expenses were inappropriate. GAO also found that neither per diem nor relocation expenses were to be paid for many of employee's claimed expenses. Government employees traveling on official business are expected to provide themselves with funds to meet current expenses. GAO found that the agency gave the employee an interest-free loan, not contemplated by statute or regulations. In addition, GAO found that the agency failed to review the per diem rate at appropriate intervals. Therefore, the determination to pay per diem rather than relocation expenses was clearly improper. Accordingly, GAO found that the employee's travel and transportation allowances should have been computed on the basis of change of station rather than on a per diem basis and that he was not entitled to real estate expense allowances. The employee's entitlements should be computed accordingly and appropriate collection actions should be taken.