Claim for Travel and Relocation Expenses

A General Services Administration finance officer requested an advance decision concerning the entitlement of a Federal Protective Service employee to travel and relocation expenses arising from his official transfer. The employee incurred the expenses while he was apparently on temporary detail at the duty station to which he anticipated an official transfer. During this time, the employee also moved his family and household effects to the new duty station. GAO has held that moving expenses incurred prior to and in anticipation of a transfer of official duty station may be reimbursed to the employee if an administrative intent to transfer the employee existed and was clearly evident at the time the expenses were incurred. GAO found that, regardless of the confusion which arose in this case regarding the authorization to transfer the employee, the statements made by the employee's supervisor served to notify him of his tentative selection for the new station and constituted a clear administrative intent to transfer him. Therefore, he was entitled to relocation expenses. However, since he traveled to the station with the knowledge that it would become his permanent duty station, he was not entitled to per diem. Payment was therefore authorized in accordance with this decision if the vouchers proved otherwise correct.