[Decision Concerning SSA Use of Appropriated Funds To Pay for Protection of Employee]

The Social Security Administration (SSA) requested a decision regarding whether it could reimburse an employee for lodging expenses she incurred in avoiding life-threatening danger that arose from performance of her official duties. GAO held that SSA could reimburse the employee, since the: (1) employee responded reasonably to an emergency police advisory; and (2) emergency clearly involved a direct threat arising out of the performance of her assigned duties.