B-167963, OCT. 17, 1969

B-167963, OCT. 17, 1969

TRAVEL EXPENSES--FIRST DUTY STATION--MANPOWER SHORTAGE--PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS WHERE TRAVEL ORDERS WERE NOT ISSUED EMPLOYEE APPOINTED TO MANPOWER SHORTAGE POSITION UNTIL AFTER HE REPORTED TO FIRST DUTY STATION, AND EMPLOYEE HAS SIGNED 12 MONTHS' SERVICE AGREEMENT, PAYMENT OF TRAVEL ALLOWANCE IS ALLOWED, AS SEC. 13A, BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIR. NO. A-56, REVISED JUNE 26, 1969, PROVIDES THAT WHEN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY PROPER OFFICIALS NEW APPOINTEES, AS PROVIDED IN SEC. 5 OF REGULATIONS, MAY BE ALLOWED TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FROM PLACES OF ACTUAL RESIDENCE AT TIME OF APPOINTMENT TO PERMANENT DUTY STATIONS WITHIN 50 STATES AND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND SEC. 5.1A PROVIDES FOR PAYMENT OF TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF NEW APPOINTEES ASSIGNED TO MANPOWER SHORTAGE POSITIONS, PROVIDED THEY HAVE SIGNED AGREEMENT REQUIRED IN SUBSEC. 1.3C (1).

TO MR. JOHN H. GREVE:

YOUR UNDATED LETTER WITH ENCLOSURES, REFERENCE DLSC-FFA, RECEIVED IN OUR OFFICE SEPTEMBER 23, 1969, REQUESTS OUR DECISION WHETHER PAYMENT MAY BE MADE ON THE VOUCHER TRANSMITTED THEREWITH PROPOSING PAYMENT OF ADVANCE OF TRAVEL ALLOWANCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,666.06 TO MR. LONNIE L. THOMPSON INCIDENT TO REPORTING TO HIS FIRST DUTY STATION.

THE INFORMATION OF RECORD SHOWS THAT TRAVEL ORDERS WERE ISSUED AUGUST 18, 1969, TO MR. THOMPSON FOR TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION TO HIS FIRST DUTY STATION AFTER HE REPORTED FOR DUTY ON AUGUST 18, 1969. THE POSITION TO WHICH MR. THOMPSON WAS APPOINTED (COMPUTER PROGRAMMER, GRADE GS-9) WAS ONE OF THOSE LISTED AS A MANPOWER SHORTAGE POSITION. THE INDIVIDUAL IN THE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL OFFICE PROCESSING THE RECRUITMENT ACTION DID NOT AT THE TIME MENTION TO MR. THOMPSON THAT HE WAS ENTITLED TO TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION. IT WAS NOT UNTIL MR. THOMPSON REPORTED ON AUGUST 18, 1969, THAT HIS SUPERVISOR CALLED THE PERSONNEL OFFICE AND QUESTIONED THE FACT THAT TRAVEL ORDERS HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED FOR MR. THOMPSON. TRAVEL ORDERS WERE THEN ISSUED ON MR. THOMPSON'S BEHALF, AND HE HAS SIGNED THE REQUIRED AGREEMENT FOR 12 MONTHS' SERVICE.

SECTION 1.3A OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56, REVISED JUNE 26, 1969, PROVIDES THAT WHEN AUTHORIZED OR APPROVED BY THE PROPER OFFICIALS NEW APPOINTEES AS PROVIDED IN SECTION 5 OF THE REGULATIONS MAY BE ALLOWED TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES FROM THEIR PLACES OF ACTUAL RESIDENCE AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT TO THEIR PERMANENT DUTY STATION WITHIN THE 50 STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. SECTION 5.1A PROVIDES FOR THE PAYMENT OF TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF NEW APPOINTEES WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO MANPOWER SHORTAGE POSITIONS, PROVIDED THEY HAVE SIGNED THE AGREEMENT REQUIRED IN SUBSECTION 1.3C (1).

THEREFORE, PAYMENT OF THE VOUCHER, RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE MADE IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.