B-165462, NOV. 29, 1968
Highlights
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE TWO VOUCHERS IS $413.60. WAS DETAILED TO BEDFORD. WHICH IS A SUBURB OF CLEVELAND. THE EMPLOYEE ALSO STATES THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ASSIGNMENT HE DID NOT MAKE A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MILEAGE BECAUSE HE WAS INFORMED THAT REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES WOULD NOT BE RECEIVED WHEN THE DETAIL WAS WITHIN A 35 MILE RADIUS OF HIS HOME. THE TWO VOUCHERS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY MR. COYNE AND IT IS ASSUMED THAT SUCH APPROVAL INCLUDES A DETERMINATION THAT THE USE OF THE PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE ARE INFORMED THAT MR. WHENEVER SUCH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IS AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. THE VOUCHERS ARE RETURNED HEREWITH AND MAY BE PAID IF IT IS OTHERWISE DETERMINED THAT THE MILEAGE BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE'S RESIDENCE AND HIS REGULAR DUTY STATION IN CLEVELAND SHOULD NOT BE DEDUCTED FROM THE MILEAGE CLAIMED FROM HIS RESIDENCE TO THE BEDFORD DUTY STATION.
B-165462, NOV. 29, 1968
TO MR. R. O. LEWIS:
THIS REFERS TO YOUR LETTER OF OCTOBER 7, 1968, DCRO-FO, WITH ENCLOSURE, FORWARDED HERE BY HEADQUARTERS, DEFENSE SUPPLY AGENCY ON OCTOBER 16, 1968, DSAH-CFF, REQUESTING OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY PROPERLY PAY THE TWO VOUCHERS SUBMITTED BY MR. LOREN I. BUSKIRK, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEFENSE SUPPLY AGENCY, FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MILEAGE AT HIS HEADQUARTERS. THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE TWO VOUCHERS IS $413.60, REPRESENTING 4,136 MILES AT 10 CENTS PER MILE.
BY PERSONNEL ACTION DATED DECEMBER 15, 1965, MR. BUSKIRK, WITH HEADQUARTERS AT CLEVELAND, OHIO, WAS DETAILED TO BEDFORD, OHIO, WHICH IS A SUBURB OF CLEVELAND. THE EMPLOYEE STATES THAT DURING THE PERIOD IN QUESTION HE REPORTED DIRECTLY TO BEDFORD FROM HIS RESIDENCE EACH DAY A DISTANCE OF 22 MILES EACH WAY. THE EMPLOYEE ALSO STATES THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ASSIGNMENT HE DID NOT MAKE A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF MILEAGE BECAUSE HE WAS INFORMED THAT REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EXPENSES WOULD NOT BE RECEIVED WHEN THE DETAIL WAS WITHIN A 35 MILE RADIUS OF HIS HOME. WE FIND NOTHING IN THE LOCAL REGULATIONS DCASRR 5000.3, DATED AUGUST 17, 1965, OR IN THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS IMPOSING ANY SUCH RESTRICTION. THE TWO VOUCHERS HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY MR. WILLIAM H. COYNE AND IT IS ASSUMED THAT SUCH APPROVAL INCLUDES A DETERMINATION THAT THE USE OF THE PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILE WAS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT. WE ARE INFORMED THAT MR. COYNE HAS HAD AUTHORITY SINCE AUGUST 1, 1965, TO AUTHORIZE OR APPROVE LOCAL TRAVEL.
THE STATUTORY REGULATIONS ISSUED BY THE DIRECTOR, BUREAU OF THE BUDGET, PURSUANT TO 5 U.S.C. 5707, CONTAINED IN SECTION 3.5B (1) OF THE STANDARDIZED GOVERNMENT TRAVEL REGULATIONS PROVIDE THAT OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES SHALL, WHENEVER SUCH MODE OF TRANSPORTATION IS AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT, BE PAID MILEAGE FOR THE USE OF PRIVATELY OWNED AUTOMOBILES WHEN ENGAGED ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS WITHIN OR OUTSIDE THEIR DESIGNATED POSTS OF DUTY OR PLACES OF SERVICE.
SINCE THE USE OF THE PRIVATELY OWNED VEHICLE HAS BEEN APPROVED AS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE GOVERNMENT BY THE PROPER ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICIAL, THE VOUCHERS ARE RETURNED HEREWITH AND MAY BE PAID IF IT IS OTHERWISE DETERMINED THAT THE MILEAGE BETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE'S RESIDENCE AND HIS REGULAR DUTY STATION IN CLEVELAND SHOULD NOT BE DEDUCTED FROM THE MILEAGE CLAIMED FROM HIS RESIDENCE TO THE BEDFORD DUTY STATION. SEE 36 COMP. GEN. 795.