Limit for Reimbursement of Relocation Expenses

An employee of the General Services Administration was transferred in the interest of the Government from Washington, D.C. to Seattle, Washington. Incident to his transfer the employee signed a 12-month service agreement in consideration of agency reimbursement for transportation, travel, and related moving expenses. In general, reimbursement of travel and transportation expenses upon an employee's change of station, is not automatic but is conditioned upon a determination by the head of the agency concerned that the transfer is in the interest of the Government and is not primarily for the convenience of the employee. The fact that an employee does not intend to purchase a residence at the time of transfer does not preclude reimbursement for costs incurred in the purchase of a residence if during the initial year after transfer. Agencies have administrative discretion in authorizing reimbursement for expenses incurred in connection with a transfer of duty station for house-hunting trips and subsistence while occupying temporary quarters. Accordingly, the employee's travel authorization was to be amended to allow reimbursement for the balance of his real estate expenses and those incurred in the purchase of a home at his new duty station. However, more information was required on relocation travel to determine whether it complied with regulations.