Travel Benefits on Nonworkdays

Under current travel regulations, civilian employees of the Government on temporary assignments who voluntarily travel on nonworkdays to a place other than their official duty stations are reimbursed differently, depending upon whether the employee is authorized a flat per diem rate, actual subsistence expense, or is reimbursed under the lodging-plus system. GAO stated that the regulations, are very inequitable and, if possible, should be revised. GAO recommended that the General Services Administration provide by regulation that employees who voluntarily travel to a place other than their official duty stations on nonworkdays be allowed payment on the same basis as now authorized for employees who voluntarily return to their official stations. This change would do little more than restore a benefit that most employees received prior to 1973 when the majority of travel was performed on a flat rate per diem basis.