[Claim for Travel Time and Per Diem]

An advance decision was requested as to whether a National Park Service employee could be paid an additional day of per diem incurred while en route to his new duty station when his vehicle broke down. The Service initially disallowed the claim; however, it questioned its decision in light of a recent GAO decision permitting such payment and because an agency official has approved the delay and the agency considered the delay beyond the control of the employee. GAO stated that present Federal Travel Regulations allow agencies to make exceptions to the statutory limits for daily minimum driving distance and allow additional per diem when an employee is delayed en route to his new duty station for reasons beyond his control or when it is otherwise acceptable to the agency. Accordingly, the employee may be allowed travel time and reimbursed for an additional day of per diem, if otherwise proper.