[FHA Employee's Claim for Relocation Expenses]

The National Finance Center requested a decision about a transferred Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) employee's claim for reimbursement for temporary lodging expenses. FmHA advised that: (1) a family emergency necessitated the claimant's frequent return to her residence at her former duty station and prevented her from seeking permanent quarters at her new duty station; (2) the claimant did not begin to occupy temporary quarters until more than 30 days after she reported to her new duty station; and (3) the claimant requested a 60-day extension for temporary quarters occupancy due to the continuation of the emergency situation. GAO held that: (1) the claimant's temporary quarters occupancy period began when she first reported to her new duty station; (2) FmHA reasonably granted the claimant an extension, due to the unanticipated emergency situation; and (3) the claimant's temporary quarters occupancy period ended when she permanently returned to her former residence and commuted daily to her new duty station. Accordingly, GAO remanded the claim to FmHA for amendment.