[Decision Concerning GSA Employee's Appeal of Claims Group's Denial of Claim for Separate Maintenance Allowance]

A tranferred General Services Administration (GSA) employee claimed a separate maintenance allowance for his spouse. GSA had held that the claimant and his wife maintained separate households for 2 years before he was transferred to an overseas location. In his appeal, the claimant contended that financial difficulties and the overseas post's climate forced his wife to continue to maintain a separate household. GAO held that the claimant's maintenance of a separate household from his wife existed prior to and independent of his overseas transfer. Accordingly, the claim was denied.