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B-150376, JAN. 9, 1963

B-150376 Jan 09, 1963
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THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY HAS INFORMED US THAT YOU WERE OFFERED A POSITION AS ENGINE MAN AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION. DUE TO CERTAIN DELAYS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS THE POSITION WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE WHEN YOU REACHED CALIFORNIA. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT RULE IN SECTION 7 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ACT OF 1946. THOSE EXCEPTIONS ARE NOT APPLICABLE IN YOUR CASE. PAYMENT OF THE COST OF YOUR TRAVEL FROM NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA WAS NEITHER AUTHORIZED NOR APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT. THERE IS NO LEGAL AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH YOU MAY BE REIMBURSED THE COST OF THE TRAVEL INVOLVED AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO LEGAL AUTHORITY TO REIMBURSE YOU SUCH COSTS EVEN IF YOU HAD BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY AFTER YOU REACHED CALIFORNIA.

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B-150376, JAN. 9, 1963

TO MR. GUY W. GRAYSON:

WE REFER TO YOUR LETTER, RECEIVED NOVEMBER 26, 1962, CONCERNING OUR OFFICE SETTLEMENT OF OCTOBER 25, 1962, WHICH DISALLOWED YOUR CLAIM FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR DEPENDENTS AND FOR TRANSPORTATION OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS FROM FLUSHING, NEW YORK, TO HANFORD, CALIFORNIA, DURING FEBRUARY AND MARCH 1961.

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY HAS INFORMED US THAT YOU WERE OFFERED A POSITION AS ENGINE MAN AT THE NAVAL AIR STATION, LEMOORE, CALIFORNIA. YOU TRAVELED FROM FLUSHING TO HANFORD IN ORDER TO ACCEPT THAT POSITION; HOWEVER, DUE TO CERTAIN DELAYS AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS THE POSITION WAS NO LONGER AVAILABLE WHEN YOU REACHED CALIFORNIA.

GENERALLY THE COST OF TRANSPORTING A NEW EMPLOYEE, HIS DEPENDENTS AND HIS HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS TO HIS FIRST DUTY STATION MAY NOT BE PAID BY THE UNITED STATES. THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT RULE IN SECTION 7 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ACT OF 1946, APPROVED AUGUST 2, 1946, CH. 1010, 60 STAT. 808, AS AMENDED 5 U.S.C. 73B-3, BUT THOSE EXCEPTIONS ARE NOT APPLICABLE IN YOUR CASE.

FURTHERMORE, ALL TRAVEL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE MUST BE AUTHORIZED IN ADVANCE OR APPROVED AFTER COMPLETION BY THE APPROPRIATE OFFICER IN THE DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY CONCERNED. SECTION 2.1, STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS. PAYMENT OF THE COST OF YOUR TRAVEL FROM NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA WAS NEITHER AUTHORIZED NOR APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT.

THEREFORE, THERE IS NO LEGAL AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH YOU MAY BE REIMBURSED THE COST OF THE TRAVEL INVOLVED AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO LEGAL AUTHORITY TO REIMBURSE YOU SUCH COSTS EVEN IF YOU HAD BEEN EMPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY AFTER YOU REACHED CALIFORNIA.

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