Skip to main content

B-168119, NOV. 12, 1969

B-168119 Nov 12, 1969
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

EMPLOYEE IS NOT ENTITLED TO MILEAGE PLUS TOLLS FOR THIS TRAVEL SINCE. ALTHOUGH DELAY WAS IN CONNECTION WITH OFFICIAL DUTY TRIP. GOVERNMENT WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE IN ANY WAY FOR DELAY IN LUGGAGE DELIVERY. CONVERSION AND REPAIR: THIS IS IN REPLY TO YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 10. HAYWOOD WAS PAID $5.60. HAYWOOD'S CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MILEAGE FOR A SIMILAR TRIP INCIDENT TO A LATER TRAVEL ORDER WAS DISALLOWED ON THE GROUND THERE WAS NO REGULATION COVERING REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH TRIP ONCE TEMPORARY DUTY HAD BEEN COMPLETED. UPON REVIEW OF THE CASE STATED THE ORIGINAL PAYMENT WAS IN ERROR AND REQUESTED REFUND. OR TO PLACES IN CONNECTION WITH PERSONAL AFFAIRS IS NOT OFFICIAL TRAVEL. * * *" THE RECORD INDICATES THAT MR.

View Decision

B-168119, NOV. 12, 1969

MILEAGE--TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE--BETWEEN RESIDENCE AND TERMINAL AFTER COMPLETION OF TEMPORARY DUTY, WHERE NAVY EMPLOYEE RETURNED FROM HOME TO AIRPORT BY PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE TO PICK UP LUGGAGE WHICH HAD ARRIVED LATE, EMPLOYEE IS NOT ENTITLED TO MILEAGE PLUS TOLLS FOR THIS TRAVEL SINCE, ALTHOUGH DELAY WAS IN CONNECTION WITH OFFICIAL DUTY TRIP, EMPLOYEE MADE TRIP TO OBTAIN LUGGAGE, NOT TO TRANSACT OFFICIAL BUSINESS, AND GOVERNMENT WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE IN ANY WAY FOR DELAY IN LUGGAGE DELIVERY.

TO SUPERVISOR OF SHIPBUILDING, CONVERSION AND REPAIR:

THIS IS IN REPLY TO YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 10, 1969, REFERENCE GEN/4650, SER 188-251, CONCERNING THE REQUEST FOR REFUND OF AN OVERPAYMENT OF A TRAVEL CLAIM TO MR. GEORGE M. HAYWOOD, AN EMPLOYEE OF YOUR AGENCY.

IN CONNECTION WITH TRAVEL ORDER NO. T-192, DATED DECEMBER 6, 1967, MR. HAYWOOD WAS PAID $5.60, ROUND-TRIP MILEAGE FROM HIS HOME TO THE AIRPORT, PLUS TOLLS, BY PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE TO PICK UP HIS LUGGAGE WHICH HAD ARRIVED LATE. SUBSEQUENTLY MR. HAYWOOD'S CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MILEAGE FOR A SIMILAR TRIP INCIDENT TO A LATER TRAVEL ORDER WAS DISALLOWED ON THE GROUND THERE WAS NO REGULATION COVERING REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH TRIP ONCE TEMPORARY DUTY HAD BEEN COMPLETED. WHEN MR. HAYWOOD POINTED OUT THE PREVIOUS PAYMENT THE NAVY REGIONAL FINANCE CENTER, NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, UPON REVIEW OF THE CASE STATED THE ORIGINAL PAYMENT WAS IN ERROR AND REQUESTED REFUND. YOU REQUEST OUR DECISION AS TO THE VALIDITY OF THE EXPENSE ITEM.

PARAGRAPH C 1100, JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, VOLUME 2, PROVIDES IN PERTINENT PART AS FOLLOWS:

"TRAVEL, OFFICIAL. AUTHORIZED TRAVEL AND ASSIGNMENT SOLELY IN CONNECTION WITH BUSINESS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OR THE GOVERNMENT. * * * TRAVEL AND DELAYS FOR PERSONAL REASONS OR CONVENIENCE, BY CIRCUITOUS ROUTE, BY MODES OF TRANSPORTATION OTHER THAN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED, FOR ADDITIONAL DISTANCES, OR TO PLACES IN CONNECTION WITH PERSONAL AFFAIRS IS NOT OFFICIAL TRAVEL. * * *"

THE RECORD INDICATES THAT MR. HAYWOOD HAS BEEN REIMBURSED FOR TWO ROUND TRIPS BETWEEN HIS RESIDENCE AND THE AIRPORT IN ADDITION TO THE TRIP IN QUESTION. WE ASSUME THESE WERE THE USUAL TRIPS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEPARTURE AND RETURN FROM TEMPORARY DUTY. MR. HAYWOOD MADE THE THIRD TRIP TO OBTAIN HIS LUGGAGE, NOT TO TRANSACT OFFICIAL BUSINESS. ALTHOUGH THE DELAY WAS IN CONNECTION WITH MR. HAYWOOD'S OFFICIAL DUTY TRIP, THERE IS NOTHING IN THE RECORD TO SHOW THE GOVERNMENT WAS IN ANY WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DELAY IN DELIVERY OF THE LUGGAGE. ACCORDINGLY, IT APPEARS THAT THE EXPENSES OF THE ROUND TRIP MAY NOT BE REGARDED AS REIMBURSABLE BY THE UNITED STATES. PERHAPS MR. HAYWOOD SHOULD SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE AIRLINE INVOLVED.

GAO Contacts

Office of Public Affairs