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[Claim for Reimbursement of Meal Expenses]

B-213021 May 02, 1984
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Highlights

GAO considered an appeal filed on behalf of an employee of the U.S. Customs Service, which denied the employee's claim for additional reimbursement for meal expenses incurred incident to his temporary duty assignment. The record showed that, during the period in question, the employee consistently claimed meal expenses of $50 or more per day. The Customs Service reduced the employee's claim on the ground that expenditure of the claimed amounts was not prudent as required by Federal Travel Regulations. The employee's representative claimed that: (1) similar amounts for meals were paid to other temporary duty employees, and the claimant had been informed by the Service that it would pay such amounts; (2) the temporary duty site was a very expensive area; and (3) the Service failed to provide any basis to substantiate its disallowance of the claim. GAO found that: (1) the Service made its determination according to a consistent agency standard; and (2) there was no showing that the employee was required by unusual circumstances to spend the claimed amounts. Further, GAO stated that an agency cannot be bound or estopped by misinformation supplied by its agents. Accordingly, payment of the claim was denied.

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