Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expenses

A Federal employee claimed temporary quarters subsistence expenses attributable to room and board paid to his mother-in-law for his three daughters incident to his transfer from England to Maryland. The employee agreed to pay his mother-in-law $22.50 per day for room and board for his daughters, based on an allowance of $4.00 per day per child for meals and meal preparation and $3.50 per day per child for lodging and utilities. The agency requested that the employee provide documentation in support of the $7.50 per day per child determination, as the agency found the amount unreasonable. The agency's determination that the expenditures were unreasonable was unfounded, since the employee documented his computations with actual sample food bills and lodging costs. In this case, commercial lodging and food costs would have been much greater than the amount claimed, and the agreement between the employee and his mother-in-law was made in good faith at her personal inconvenience. Therefore, the arrangement was made in the Government's favor, the claim was reasonable, and should be paid in full if otherwise correct.