Claim for Per Diem Allowance During Second House-Hunting Trip

An accounting and finance officer of the Defense Logistics Agency requested an advance decision concerning an employee's claim for a per diem allowance during a second house-hunting trip incident to a transfer of station. In connection with the transfer, the employee was authorized round-trip travel not to exceed 6 days to the new station to seek a permanent residence. The employee divided her house hunting into two trips because the nature of her duties required a return to her old duty station to perform assignments which could not be deferred until completion of house hunting in a single trip. The employee was paid mileage and per diem for the first trip, but her claim for per diem for the second trip was denied because the two round trips were not completed within 6 consecutive days. Under applicable regulations, reimbursement of expenses incurred in seeking residence quarters at a new official station is limited to one round trip in connection with each change of station. GAO has previously held that per diem incident to house hunting may not be paid for time spent at the new official duty station after completion of the single authorized trip. Further, GAO has held that, since only one round trip is authorized under the law, the allowable 6 calendar days must necessarily run consecutively. Accordingly, the employee's claim for per diem for the second house-hunting trip was denied.