B-165825, JAN. 29, 1969
Highlights
FARRALL: THIS IS IN REPLY TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 17. LOOPER WAS AUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION TO HIS NEW STATION BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE FOR HIMSELF AND HIS DEPENDENTS. ON OCTOBER 4 HE LOCATED RENTAL QUARTERS AND DECIDED NOT TO RETURN TO DUTCH JOHN SINCE HE WAS TO REPORT FOR DUTY ON OCTOBER 7 AND HE HAD INSTRUCTED A CARRIER TO PICK UP HIS FURNITURE ON THAT DAY UNLESS HE CALLED THE CARRIER EARLIER. LOOPER'S DECISION NOT TO RETURN TO DUTCH JOHN FOR THE REASONS STATED ABOVE WAS IN ACCORD WITH THE GUIDELINES OF THE CIRCULAR. YOU MAY ALSO CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT AN ALLOWANCE NOT TO EXCEED 2 DAYS WHILE THE EMPLOYEE WAS OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS FROM THE TIME PERMANENT QUARTERS WERE LOCATED UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE'S FURNITURE ARRIVED SINCE THE ALLOWANCE WAS AUTHORIZED.
B-165825, JAN. 29, 1969
TO MR. HAROLD J. FARRALL:
THIS IS IN REPLY TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 17, 1968, REFERENCE 7 360, REQUESTING OUR DECISION AS TO THE BASIS FOR PAYMENT OF A TRAVEL VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF MR. WILSON P. LOOPER, AN EMPLOYEE OF YOUR AGENCY, INCIDENT TO HIS TRANSFER FROM DUTCH JOHN, UTAH, TO THERMOPOLIS, WYOMING.
MR. LOOPER WAS AUTHORIZED TRANSPORTATION TO HIS NEW STATION BY PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE FOR HIMSELF AND HIS DEPENDENTS, A ROUND TRIP TO AND FROM THE OLD AND NEW STATIONS FOR HIMSELF AND HIS WIFE TO SEEK PERMANENT RESIDENCE QUARTERS NOT TO EXCEED 6 DAYS, AND TEMPORARY SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE NOT TO EXCEED 2 DAYS. ON SEPTEMBER 30, 1968, MR. LOOPER, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE AND CHILD, DROVE FROM DUTCH JOHN TO THERMOPOLIS TO SEARCH FOR HOUSING. ON OCTOBER 4 HE LOCATED RENTAL QUARTERS AND DECIDED NOT TO RETURN TO DUTCH JOHN SINCE HE WAS TO REPORT FOR DUTY ON OCTOBER 7 AND HE HAD INSTRUCTED A CARRIER TO PICK UP HIS FURNITURE ON THAT DAY UNLESS HE CALLED THE CARRIER EARLIER. YOUR DOUBT IN THE MATTER ARISES FROM THE FACT THAT MR. LOOPER DID NOT COMPLETE THE HOUSE HUNTING TRIP BY RETURNING TO HIS FORMER STATION.
SECTION 2.4 OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56 PROVIDES THAT AN AGENCY MAY AUTHORIZE AN EMPLOYEE AND HIS SPOUSE (NO CHILDREN) TO PERFORM A ROUND TRIP BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW OFFICIAL STATIONS TO SEEK PERMANENT RESIDENCE QUARTERS. IT ALSO PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR THE ELIMINATION OF UNNECESSARY TRIPS.
IN THE INSTANT CASE MR. LOOPER AND HIS FAMILY TRAVELED TO THERMOPOLIS AND SEARCHED FOR HOUSING UNTIL OCTOBER 4. WE BELIEVE MR. LOOPER'S DECISION NOT TO RETURN TO DUTCH JOHN FOR THE REASONS STATED ABOVE WAS IN ACCORD WITH THE GUIDELINES OF THE CIRCULAR. THEREFORE, MILEAGE FOR THE USE OF A PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE IN TRAVELING TO THERMOPOLIS WOULD BE AUTHORIZED AT THE RATE OF 8 CENTS PER MILE FOR MR. LOOPER AND HIS WIFE AS WELL AS PER DIEM FROM SEPTEMBER 30 TO OCTOBER 4 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CIRCULAR APPLICABLE TO A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP. YOU MAY ALSO CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT AN ALLOWANCE NOT TO EXCEED 2 DAYS WHILE THE EMPLOYEE WAS OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS FROM THE TIME PERMANENT QUARTERS WERE LOCATED UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE'S FURNITURE ARRIVED SINCE THE ALLOWANCE WAS AUTHORIZED. IN THIS CONNECTION ACTUAL EXPENSES SHOULD BE ITEMIZED AND SUPPORTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 2.5D OF THE CIRCULAR.
THE TRANSPORTATION OF ALL DEPENDENTS TO THE NEW DUTY STATION WAS AUTHORIZED. THEREFORE, SINCE THE SON ACCOMPANIED MR. LOOPER AND HIS WIFE TO THE NEW STATION ON THE HOUSE HUNTING TRIP, THE TRAVEL OF THE SON MAY BE TREATED AS HAVING BEEN PERFORMED UNDER THE CHANGE OF STATION PROCEDURES. THEREFORE, PER DIEM FOR THE SON MAY BE ALLOWED AS CLAIMED AND THE EMPLOYEE WOULD BE ENTITLED TO AN ADDITIONAL MILEAGE RATE OF 2 CENTS PER MILE OR AN OVERALL RATE OF 10 CENTS PER MILE AS CLAIMED. SEE SECTIONS 2.3 AND 2.4 OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56.
THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH AND MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ABOVE.