Reimbursement for Actual Subsistence and Laundry Expenses

A decision was requested regarding the propriety of a claim for reimbursement for subsistence expenses which an employee incurred while on temporary duty. GAO found that, although the agency had determined that the claimed amount was unreasonable, it had not determined what amount it would consider reasonable. The agency should determine what constitutes reasonable laundry expenses based on the circumstances of the claimant's trip, using as a guideline the experiences of other agency employees who performed temporary duty under similar circumstances. Accordingly, the vouchers and supporting papers were returned to the agency for a determination of reasonable laundry expenses.