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[Request for Advance Decision Concerning Interior Employee's Claim]

B-216431 Published: Jul 05, 1985. Publicly Released: Jul 05, 1985.
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Highlights

An employee of the Department of the Interior claimed per diem and relocation allowances in connection with a transfer to an Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignment. GAO noted that statutory authority for transfer or assignment of an employee under the act makes funds available to pay a per diem allowance to an employee while at the location of an assignment. However, GAO has held that employees assigned under the act may receive either per diem or change-of-station allowances, but not both. GAO found that: (1) the employee was authorized change-of-station rather than per diem expenses incident to the assignment; (2) limited allowances were authorized for relocation because there was no need to relocate the employee's household since the employee decided not to sell his residence; and (3) the agency's determination to authorize change-of-station allowances was consistent with its holding that payment of per diem allowances would ordinarily be inappropriate for Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignments of 2 years. GAO also found that: (1) the change-of-station allowances authorized were payable upon relocation to, as well as return from, an Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignment; (2) the fact that the employee's family was already residing at the location at the commencement of the assignment did not preclude reimbursement for transportation of household goods and travel of family members; and (3) the employee was entitled to change-of-station allowances rather than the per diem allowance he claimed in connection with a Intergovernmental Personnel Act assignment. Accordingly, the employee may be paid in accordance with the above.

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Claims settlementExpense claimsPer diem allowancesRelocation allowancesRelocation expense claimsTemporary employmentTravel allowancesAllowances