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B-149521, AUG. 3, 1962

B-149521 Aug 03, 1962
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THESE TRANSPORTATION COSTS WERE INCURRED BY THE EMPLOYEE ON THREE OCCASIONS DURING A PERIOD OF TEMPORARY DUTY WHEN HE VOLUNTARILY RETURNED TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION ON NONWORKDAYS. THE AMOUNT RECLAIMED REPRESENTS TRANSPORTATION COSTS WHICH WERE IN EXCESS OF THE TRAVEL COSTS THE EMPLOYEE WOULD HAVE INCURRED HAD HE REMAINED AT HIS TEMPORARY DUTY STATION. PATTERSON SAYS THAT HE BASES HIS RECLAIM "ON VERBAL ORDERS RECEIVED FROM MY OFFICE THAT I WAS TO TRAVEL ON THE SAME BASIS AS OTHER PEOPLE ON THE PROJECT IN YORKTOWN SUCH AS NEW YORK SHIP AND STATES MARINE LINES PERSONNEL. WHICH WAS TO RETURN HOME EVERY SECOND WEEKEND. THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT ALLOWABLE FOR THE ROUND TRIP TRANSPORTATION AND PER DIEM EN ROUTE SHALL BE THE TRAVEL EXPENSE WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWABLE HAD THE TRAVELER REMAINED AT HIS TEMPORARY DUTY STATION.'.

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B-149521, AUG. 3, 1962

TO MISS N. K. SCHNYDER, AUTHORIZED CERTIFYING OFFICER, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION:

ON JULY 19, 1962, YOU REQUESTED OUR DECISION WHETHER A RECLAIM VOUCHER FOR $83.75 REPRESENTING TRANSPORTATION COSTS, YOUR REFERENCE L6-2:423, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT TO MR. W. H. PATTERSON, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE MARTIME ADMINISTRATION.

THESE TRANSPORTATION COSTS WERE INCURRED BY THE EMPLOYEE ON THREE OCCASIONS DURING A PERIOD OF TEMPORARY DUTY WHEN HE VOLUNTARILY RETURNED TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION ON NONWORKDAYS. THE AMOUNT RECLAIMED REPRESENTS TRANSPORTATION COSTS WHICH WERE IN EXCESS OF THE TRAVEL COSTS THE EMPLOYEE WOULD HAVE INCURRED HAD HE REMAINED AT HIS TEMPORARY DUTY STATION. MR. PATTERSON SAYS THAT HE BASES HIS RECLAIM "ON VERBAL ORDERS RECEIVED FROM MY OFFICE THAT I WAS TO TRAVEL ON THE SAME BASIS AS OTHER PEOPLE ON THE PROJECT IN YORKTOWN SUCH AS NEW YORK SHIP AND STATES MARINE LINES PERSONNEL, WHICH WAS TO RETURN HOME EVERY SECOND WEEKEND, WORK LOAD PERMITTING.'

SECTION 6.4 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDES THAT:

"AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIALS A TRAVELER MAY BE REQUIRED TO RETURN TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION FOR NONWORK DAYS. IN CASES OF VOLUNTARY RETURN OF A TRAVELER FOR NONWORK DAYS TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION, OR HIS PLACE OF ABODE FROM WHICH HE COMMUTES DAILY TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION, THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT ALLOWABLE FOR THE ROUND TRIP TRANSPORTATION AND PER DIEM EN ROUTE SHALL BE THE TRAVEL EXPENSE WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWABLE HAD THE TRAVELER REMAINED AT HIS TEMPORARY DUTY STATION.'

MR. PATTERSON'S TRAVEL ORDERS DID NOT REQUIRE HIS RETURN TO HIS OFFICIAL STATION ON THE NONWORKDAYS IN QUESTION. THE FACT THAT HE RECEIVED THE GENERAL VERBAL AUTHORIZATION ABOVE IS NOT VIEWED AS A DETERMINATION THAT HE WAS "REQUIRED" ADMINISTRATIVELY TO RETURN ON THE NONWORKDAYS SO AS TO GIVE HIM ANY GREATER RIGHT TO REIMBURSEMENT THAN THAT SET OUT IN SECTION 6.4 FOR A VOLUNTARY RETURN ON NONWORKDAYS.

THEREFORE, AND SINCE THE EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN ALLOWED THE MAXIMUM REIMBURSEMENT PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE VOLUNTARY RETURN PROVISIONS OF SECTION 6.4, THE RECLAIM VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED, MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.

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