[Claim for Home Leave Travel Expenses]

An advance decision was requested concerning the propriety of allowing certain travel expenses for two GAO employees in connection with their home leave. The two employees in question traveled from their overseas duty posts to their actual places of residence for the purpose of taking home leave. They both performed round-trip travel from their residences to Hawaii before returning to their duty stations. A GAO authorized certifying officer requested an advance decision as to whether the trips to Hawaii are reimbursable. GAO held that the trips to Hawaii constituted side trips for personal reasons and as such could not be considered part of authorized home leave travel. GAO also held that, since the employees both used excursion fares for the authorized round-trip travel between their duty stations and places of residence, they should be reimbursed at the rates for applicable excursion fares and not at the usual coach class rate. Accordingly, the claims associated with the side trips may not be paid.