Request for Reimbursements of Relocation and Transportation Expense

An agency requested an advance decision concerning: (1) the proper miscellaneous expense allowance for relocation of a household to which an employee is entitled when his family relocates about a year before the employee and 10 months prior to the issuance of return permanent change of station orders; (2) whether action should be taken to collect the per diem paid for the return travel of the dependents under the circumstances; and (3) the proper reimbursement to an employee whose travel orders authorized the use of a privately-owned vehicle, but who rented a car for travel from the passenger terminal to his temporary residence. Although the employee claimed a miscellaneous expense allowance of $200 for relocation, he was allowed only $100. He was entitled to be reimbursed only at the without-dependents rate because there was no indication that the family established the new residence in connection with the employee's transfer. There was no legal basis for payment of authorized travel performed by the employee's immediate family in the year prior to his transfer. Any per diem paid for his dependents return prior to his transfer represents an unauthorized expenditure and action should be taken to collect that amount. An employee who was authorized the use of a privately owned vehicle for travel upon his return to the United States may be reimbursed on a prorated share of the cost of a rental vehicle for travel between the airport and his place of residence, not to exceed the usual taxicab-limousine cost.