B-168109, NOV. 14, 1969

B-168109, NOV. 14, 1969

OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES--TRANSFERS--RELOCATION EXPENSES--MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES--HOUSE TRAILER PREPARATION FOR MOVEMENT EMPLOYEE WHO RETURNED TO OLD DUTY STATION ON ANNUAL LEAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN PREPARATION OF OVERSIZED HOUSETRAILER FOR SHIPMENT TO NEW DUTY STATION IS ENTITLED TO SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES WHILE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS AT OLD STATION WITHIN AUTHORIZED TIME PERIOD AND COSTS INCURRED IN SEPARATING TRAILER INTO TWO SECTIONS FOR SHIPMENT ARE REIMBURSABLE WITHIN AGENCY'S DISCRETION NECESSARY FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES COVERED BY SEC. 3.2A (2) WITHIN LIMITATION ALLOWED AS MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES UNDER SEC. 3 OF BUREAU OF BUDGET CIR. NO. A-56. IN REGARD TO INCLUSION OF BLOCKING AND UNBLOCKING EXPENSES IN CIRCULAR NO. A-56, AS REVISED, JUNE 26, 1969, THIS IS CLARIFICATION OF SEC. 3.1B IN EFFECT PRIOR TO JUNE 25, 1969, AND IS NOT INTENDED AS NEW INCLUSION IN ALLOWANCE.

TO MRS. MARY M. RYDQUIST:

YOUR LETTER, 1376 (D-832), OF OCTOBER 8, 1969, REQUESTS A DECISION ON THE ALLOWABILITY OF CERTAIN COSTS TO GLEN R. CARTE INCIDENT TO HIS TRANSFER FROM MEDFORD TO PORTLAND, OREGON, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

MR. CARTE CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES IN PREPARING HIS OVERSIZED TRAILER HOME FOR SHIPMENT AND SETTING IT UP AFTER ITS ARRIVAL AT THE NEW STATION. ADDITIONALLY, HE CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUBSISTENCE WHILE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS FOR 18 DAYS.

DURING THE 18-DAY PERIOD, MR. CARTE WAS ON ANNUAL LEAVE FOR A PERIOD OF 6 DAYS DURING WHICH HE RETURNED TO HIS OLD DUTY STATION TO OVERSEE THE PREPARATION OF HIS TRAILER FOR SHIPMENT. YOU ASK WHETHER HE MAY BE ALLOWED SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES DURING THIS PERIOD AS HE AND HIS WIFE COULD NOT OCCUPY THE TRAILER WHILE IT WAS BEING PREPARED FOR SHIPMENT. HAD MR. CARTE, AFTER REPORTING TO DUTY AT HIS NEW STATION AND WHILE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS, TAKEN ANNUAL LEAVE IN ORDER TO FIND PERMANENT QUARTERS, SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES WHILE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS WOULD BE ALLOWED WITHIN THE AUTHORIZED TIME PERIOD. SEE B 162641, NOVEMBER 27, 1967, AND B-164251 OF JUNE 21, 1968. SIMILARLY WHERE, AS HERE, HE RETURNS TO HIS OLD STATION ON ANNUAL LEAVE TO PARTICIPATE IN GETTING HIS TRAILER READY FOR SHIPMENT SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES WHILE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS WITHIN THE AUTHORIZED TIME PERIOD ARE REIMBURSABLE.

WITH RESPECT TO MR. CARTE'S OVERSIZED TRAILER WHICH HAD TO BE SEPARATED INTO TWO SECTIONS FOR SHIPMENT, WE HOLD THAT SUCH COSTS MAY BE REIMBURSED -- AGENCY APPROVAL, WITHIN ITS DISCRETION, NECESSARY FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES COVERED BY SECTION 3.2A (2) -- WITHIN THE LIMITATION ALLOWED AS MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES UNDER SECTION 3 OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56. SEE B-164357, JULY 1, 1968; B-166247, MARCH 13, 1969, COPIES ENCLOSED.

IN REGARD TO YOUR QUESTION ON THE SPECIFIC INCLUSION OF UNBLOCKING AND BLOCKING EXPENSES IN CIRCULAR NO. A-56, AS REVISED, JUNE 26, 1969, WE FEEL THAT THIS IS A CLARIFICATION OF SECTION 3.1B IN EFFECT PRIOR TO THAT DATE AND WAS NOT INTENDED AS A NEW INCLUSION IN THE ALLOWANCE.

THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH AND IF OTHERWISE PROPER MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOREGOING.