Reimbursement to Employee on Temporary Duty for Lodging in Private Residence

A Federal employee on temporary duty lodged with a friend in a high-cost area and submitted a claim for reimbursement of $25 per day for expenses. However, the claimant had not obtained prior approval of a per diem rate as required by agency regulations. The agency disallowed the claim since agency regulations were violated. Under Federal Travel Regulations (FTR), employees traveling on official business are entitled to a per diem allowance inside the continental United States at a rate not to exceed $35 per day. As the agency regulation in question did not comply with the applicable FTR or the rules established in GAO decisions, it should not be used to deny the claimant reimbursement under the actual expense method of computing travel per diem as authorized in GAO decisions. Reimbursement should be made to the claimant on an actual expense basis, provided the claimant demonstrates the reasonableness of any amount paid to the friend for added expense caused by the lodging.