B-143320, JULY 12, 1960, 40 COMP. GEN. 11
Highlights
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES - TRAVEL EXPENSES - FLIGHT INSURANCE THE COST OF FLIGHT INSURANCE PURCHASED BY AN EMPLOYEE INCIDENT TO OFFICIAL TRAVEL IS A COST FOR THE PERSONAL PROTECTION OF THE EMPLOYEE AND NOT AN INCIDENTAL EXPENSE NECESSARILY INCURRED IN THE TRANSACTION OF OFFICIAL DUTIES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROVISION FOR OTHER EXPENSES IN SECTION 10.5 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS AND. IT APPEARS THAT THE ABOVE REFERRED-TO AMOUNT WAS DISALLOWED ADMINISTRATIVELY ON A PRIOR VOUCHER FOR THE REASON THAT THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS CONTAIN NO PROVISION FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVELERS' COSTS OF INSURANCE. WE CONCUR IN THAT CONCLUSION AS REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES IN CONNECTION WITH THE AUTHORIZED TRAVEL OF CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IS LIMITED TO THE EXPENSES SPECIFIED IN THE SAID REGULATIONS.
B-143320, JULY 12, 1960, 40 COMP. GEN. 11
CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES - TRAVEL EXPENSES - FLIGHT INSURANCE THE COST OF FLIGHT INSURANCE PURCHASED BY AN EMPLOYEE INCIDENT TO OFFICIAL TRAVEL IS A COST FOR THE PERSONAL PROTECTION OF THE EMPLOYEE AND NOT AN INCIDENTAL EXPENSE NECESSARILY INCURRED IN THE TRANSACTION OF OFFICIAL DUTIES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROVISION FOR OTHER EXPENSES IN SECTION 10.5 OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS AND, THEREFORE, THE EMPLOYEE MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR THE COST OF FLIGHT INSURANCE.
TO WILLIAM L. NORFOLK, NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, JULY 12, 1960:
YOUR LETTER OF JUNE 21, 1960, REQUESTS OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT THE ENCLOSED TRAVEL VOUCHER FOR $5 IN FAVOR OF GEORGE L. POWELL, REPRESENTING HIS RECLAIM OF THAT AMOUNT EXPENDED ON APRIL 19, 1960, FOR FLIGHT INSURANCE COVERING HIS AIRPLANE TRIP FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., TO NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, AND RETURN.
IT APPEARS THAT THE ABOVE REFERRED-TO AMOUNT WAS DISALLOWED ADMINISTRATIVELY ON A PRIOR VOUCHER FOR THE REASON THAT THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS CONTAIN NO PROVISION FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVELERS' COSTS OF INSURANCE. WE CONCUR IN THAT CONCLUSION AS REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES IN CONNECTION WITH THE AUTHORIZED TRAVEL OF CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES IS LIMITED TO THE EXPENSES SPECIFIED IN THE SAID REGULATIONS. THEREIN SECTION 10.5 "OTHER EXPENSES" PROVIDES FOR THE ALLOWANCE OF "1MISCELLANEOUS EXPENDITURES, NOT ENUMERATED HEREIN, WHEN NECESSARILY INCURRED BY THE TRAVELER IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSACTION OF OFFICIAL BUSINESS * * *.' HOWEVER, OUR VIEW IS THAT THE PURCHASE OF INSURANCE ON THE PERSON OF AN EMPLOYEE WHILE TRAVELING IS FOR HIS OWN PROTECTION AND ORDINARILY IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED TO BE AN INCIDENTAL EXPENSE NECESSARILY INCURRED FOR THE TRANSACTION OF HIS OFFICIAL BUSINESS. B-128981, SEPTEMBER 20, 1956; B 117069, OCTOBER 13, 1953; B- 38223, NOVEMBER 24, 1943; COMPARE 35 COMP. GEN. 553 AND 361; 28 ID. 679; 27 ID. 737, 738. ALSO, GENERALLY, SEE THE PROVISIONS OF THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' GROUP LIFE INSURANCE ACT OF 1954, 68 STAT. 736, AS AMENDED, 5 U.S.C. 2091-2103.
THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.