[Response to Request for Decision Concerning Entitlement of IRS Employee to Reimbursement of Temporary Quarters Expenses]
Highlights
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requested a decision concerning whether an employee was entitled to reletting and telephone fees he incurred in his temporary quarters at a new duty station. IRS disallowed the reletting and telephone fees and allowed the security deposit. The employee contended that IRS should reimburse the telephone fee since it was a service charge. GAO held that the employee was not entitled to reimbursement for the: (1) reletting fee since it was a security deposit; and (2) the telephone fee since it was a phone installation charge and not ordinarily included in the price of a motel room. GAO also held that IRS should collect the amount it reimbursed the employee for the security deposit. Accordingly, the claim was denied.