Request for Travel Allowance

A GAO employee appealed a settlement which disallowed his claim for the difference between the 15-cents-per-mile rate stated in his travel orders, and the 8-cents-per-mile rate he actually received in connection with his househunting trip upon relocation. The individual stated that his travel orders indicated that the "employee will need car for official business at new location," which fulfills the requirements in the Federal Travel Regulations for the 15-cent rate. However, the record shows that GAO did not consider the employee's househunting trip as official business and, according to regulations, he was entitled to only 8-cents-per-mile. Accordingly, the prior settlement was sustained.