B-171674, MAY 4, 1971
Highlights
THE EXPENSES WERE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. YOU HAVE SOME DOUBT AS TO THE LEGALITY OF PAYMENT FOR DAILY PARKING FEES TOTALING $22.00 INCIDENT TO MR. D.C.YOU STATE THAT THE REMAINDER OF THE CLAIM AMOUNTING TO $9.25 FOR MILEAGE AND TAXI FARE APPEARS TO BE PROPER AND YOU HAVE NO QUESTION AS TO PAYMENT THEREFOR. MCLEAN'S HEADQUARTERS AND NORMAL DUTY AS AN ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF HYDROGRAPHY AND OCEANOGRAPHY WERE AT THE WASHINGTON SCIENCE CENTER (BUILDING "WSC 1"). FREE PARKING SPACE WAS AVAILABLE THERE DAILY. DURING THE 11 DAYS COVERED BY THE CLAIM THE EMPLOYEE WAS DETAILED TO DUTY AT THE DEPARTMENTAL BUILDING IN WASHINGTON. YOUR DOUBT IN THE MATTER ARISES FOR THE REASON YOUR INTERNAL REGULATIONS ARE SILENT WITH RESPECT TO PARKING FEES AND YOU ARE UNABLE TO LOCATE AN APPROPRIATE DECISION RELATING TO SUCH PAYMENTS.
B-171674, MAY 4, 1971
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEE - TRAVEL EXPENSES - PARKING FEES ADVISING THAT MAX C. MCLEAN MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR DAILY PARKING FEES INCIDENT TO HIS TEMPORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUILDING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. UNDER SECTION 3.5C(1) OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS WHEN, AS HERE, REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENDITURES ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS HAS BEEN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT AND NO RESTRICTION HAS BEEN PLACED ON ALLOWANCE OF PARKING FEES, THESE FEES MAY BE REIMBURSED.
TO MR. R. P. HOGAN
YOUR LETTER OF JANUARY 7, 1971, REFERENCE AD571, REQUESTS AN ADVANCE DECISION AS TO WHETHER THE SUM OF $31.25 FOR TAXI FARE, LOCAL MILEAGE, AND PARKING FEES CLAIMED ON THE ENCLOSED VOUCHER (STANDARD FORM 1164) BY MR. MAX C. MCLEAN MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT. THE EXPENSES WERE ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT, BUT YOU HAVE SOME DOUBT AS TO THE LEGALITY OF PAYMENT FOR DAILY PARKING FEES TOTALING $22.00 INCIDENT TO MR. MCLEAN'S TEMPORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C.YOU STATE THAT THE REMAINDER OF THE CLAIM AMOUNTING TO $9.25 FOR MILEAGE AND TAXI FARE APPEARS TO BE PROPER AND YOU HAVE NO QUESTION AS TO PAYMENT THEREFOR.
MR. MCLEAN'S HEADQUARTERS AND NORMAL DUTY AS AN ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF HYDROGRAPHY AND OCEANOGRAPHY WERE AT THE WASHINGTON SCIENCE CENTER (BUILDING "WSC 1"), ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, AND FREE PARKING SPACE WAS AVAILABLE THERE DAILY. DURING THE 11 DAYS COVERED BY THE CLAIM THE EMPLOYEE WAS DETAILED TO DUTY AT THE DEPARTMENTAL BUILDING IN WASHINGTON. YOUR DOUBT IN THE MATTER ARISES FOR THE REASON YOUR INTERNAL REGULATIONS ARE SILENT WITH RESPECT TO PARKING FEES AND YOU ARE UNABLE TO LOCATE AN APPROPRIATE DECISION RELATING TO SUCH PAYMENTS.
SECTION 3.5C(1) OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES THAT OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES SHALL, WHENEVER SUCH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IS AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT, BE PAID MILEAGE FOR THE USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILES WHEN ENGAGED IN OFFICIAL BUSINESS WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THEIR DESIGNATED POSTS OF DUTY. AUTHORITY IS ALSO PROVIDED THEREIN FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF PARKING FEES UNLESS THE TRAVEL ORDER OR OTHER DETERMINATION RESTRICTS THEIR ALLOWANCE. THE REGULATION LEAVES IT WITHIN THE DISCRETION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE WHETHER TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE PAYMENTS THEREUNDER WHEN AN EMPLOYEE IS REQUIRED TO PERFORM DUTIES AT A NEARBY TEMPORARY DUTY STATION. SEE B-166472, MAY 14, 1969; B-163704, APRIL 1, 1968; 32 COMP. GEN. 235 (1952).
SINCE THE CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENDITURES ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS HAS BEEN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT, AND NO ADMINISTRATIVE RESTRICTION HAS BEEN PLACED UPON ALLOWANCE OF PARKING FEES, THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH AND MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.