B-166415, APR. 15, 1969
Highlights
WAS ISSUED TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION R2-106 PROVIDING FOR REPORTING FOR DUTY AT THE NEW STATION ON DECEMBER 2. A-56 SETS FORTH THE GENERAL POLICY THAT A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED ONLY WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED. PELLISSIER WAS AWARE AT THE TIME HE LEFT HIS OLD STATION BY AUTOMOBILE TO DRIVE THE LONG DISTANCE INVOLVED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN TO HIS OLD STATION PRIOR TO THE REPORTING DATE SPECIFIED. THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH FOR HANDLING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING.
B-166415, APR. 15, 1969
TO MR. PAUL J. GRAINGER:
YOUR LETTER OF FEBRUARY 17, 1969, REFERENCE 6540, REQUESTS A DECISION ON THE ENTITLEMENT OF MR. JAMES R. PELLISSIER TO REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES OF A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP INCIDENT TO A CHANGE OF PERMANENT STATION FROM ROSEBURG, OREGON, TO DENVER, COLORADO. YOU EXPRESS DOUBT AS TO WHETHER THE EXPENSES MAY LEGALLY BE PAID AS A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP OR REGARDED AS HAVING BEEN INCURRED IN A TRANSFER OF STATION.
ACCORDING TO THE RECORD SUBMITTED, MR. PELLISSIER ON OCTOBER 23, 1968, WAS ISSUED TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION R2-106 PROVIDING FOR REPORTING FOR DUTY AT THE NEW STATION ON DECEMBER 2, 1968. THE TRAVEL ORDER AUTHORIZED VARIOUS ALLOWANCES AND BENEFITS UNDER AUTHORITY OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, INCLUDING A ROUND TRIP FOR EMPLOYEE AND SPOUSE TO SEEK PERMANENT RESIDENCE AT THE NEW OFFICIAL STATION PRIOR TO PERMANENT TRANSFER.
ON NOVEMBER 24, 1968, MR. PELLISSIER LEFT THE OLD STATION AT ROSEBURG, OREGON, TO TRAVEL BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE ON A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP TO THE NEW STATION AT DENVER, COLORADO, A ROUND TRIP SOMEWHAT OVER 2,700 MILES. THE TRAVEL VOUCHER CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT FOR MILEAGE FOR A ONE-WAY TRIP AND 6 DAYS PER DIEM WITH THE NOTATION THAT MR. PELLISSIER DID NOT RETURN TO THE OLD STATION BUT REPORTED FOR DUTY ON DECEMBER 2, 1968.
UNDER 5 U.S.C. 5724A (2) AND SECTION 2.4 OF THE IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS IN BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, AN EMPLOYEE AND HIS SPOUSE MAY BE AUTHORIZED ONE ROUND TRIP BETWEEN HIS OLD AND NEW DUTY STATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING RESIDENCE QUARTERS AT THE NEW DUTY STATION. SECTION 2.4A OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56 SETS FORTH THE GENERAL POLICY THAT A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP SHOULD BE AUTHORIZED ONLY WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY NEEDED. SECTION 2.4B CAUTIONS THAT IN AUTHORIZING A MODE OF TRANSPORTATION, CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO PROVIDING MINIMUM TIME EN ROUTE AND MAXIMUM TIME AT THE NEW STATION LOCALITY.
IT SEEMS TO US THAT MR. PELLISSIER WAS AWARE AT THE TIME HE LEFT HIS OLD STATION BY AUTOMOBILE TO DRIVE THE LONG DISTANCE INVOLVED THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RETURN TO HIS OLD STATION PRIOR TO THE REPORTING DATE SPECIFIED, DECEMBER 2, 1968. ACCORDINGLY, THE TRAVEL SHOULD BE REGARDED AS HAVING BEEN PERFORMED PRIMARILY TO EFFECT A TRANSFER OF STATION. AS TO THE TIME SPENT AT THE NEW STATION PRIOR TO DECEMBER 2, 1968, WE SEE NO REASON FOR NOT PERMITTING A TEMPORARY QUARTERS ALLOWANCE FOR SUCH PERIOD PROVIDED THE 30-DAY LIMITATION WOULD NOT BE EXCEEDED.
THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH FOR HANDLING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING.