[Claim for Relocation Expenses]

An authorized certifying officer with the Department of Agriculture's National Finance Center requested an advance decision regarding whether a Federal employee was entitled to reimbursement of relocation expenses incident to her transfer from Washington, D.C., to Virgina. The employee voluntarily transferred from a position with the Navy to one with the Forest Service. This new position was lower graded and was not subject to the agency's merit promotion plan. The Forest Service denied the employee's claim for relocation expenses since the move was primarily for her convenience and not in the interest of the Government. In addition, the agency contended that the employee's allegation that two other employees were reimbursed for relocation epenses in similar circumstances had no basis since these employes were transferring between positions in the Forest Service, their relocation expenses were authorized in advance, and they were selected under the merit promotion plan. GAO held that: (1) it will not alter an agency determintion unless the decision is clearly erroneous; and (2) the employee's transfer was primarily for her benefit. Accordingly, the agency's denial of the employee's claim was sustained.