[NRC Employee's Claim for Return Travel After Taking Annual Leave]

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requested a decision regarding the proper basis for computing the constructive cost of an employee's return travel from an overseas trip. NRC advised that the claimant was authorized round-trip premium-class air travel but returned by economy-class travel from a location other than his temporary duty station. GAO held that the claimant: (1) was not entitled to credit for the constructive cost of the authorized premium-class return trip, since his scheduled annual leave removed the justification for premium-class travel; and (2) owed NRC the amount by which his actual expenses exceeded the constructive cost of economy travel from his temporary duty station. Accordingly, the claim was denied, and GAO advised that the claimant owed NRC for any extra expense exceeding the constructive cost.