B-168409, DEC. 31, 1969

B-168409, DEC. 31, 1969

OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES--TRANSFERS--RELOCATION EXPENSES--TEMPORARY QUARTERS--TIME LIMITATION UPON EMPLOYEE'S PERMANENT CHANGE OF OFFICIAL STATION ON TRANSFER FROM ROLLA, MO; TO ROANOKE, VA; WHERE "INDIVIDUAL'S REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION" ASKED SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES FOR NOT MORE THAN 30 DAYS WHILE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS AT NEW STATION BUT TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION PROVIDED FOR "ESTIMATED 10 DAYS" TEMPORARY QUARTERS, APPARENTLY BASED ON EMPLOYEE AND FAMILY MOVING TO NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSE ON JAN. 25, 1969, SUBSEQUENT TO TEMPORARY TRAINING DUTY IN ATLANTA, JAN. 21 TO 24, REIMBURSEMENT FOR 22- 3/4 DAYS TEMPORARY QUARTERS EXPENSES MAY BE ALLOWED DUE TO 13 DAYS CONSTRUCTION DELAY BECAUSE OF INCLEMENT WEATHER AND SINCE 10 DAYS TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION WAS ESTIMATE AND TIME EXTENSION WOULD HAVE BEEN ADMINISTRATIVELY APPROVED.

TO MR. WALTER R. HEISS:

THIS WILL REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF NOVEMBER 18, 1969 (YOUR REFERENCE 6540), REQUESTING AN ADVANCE DECISION AS TO WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT A RECLAIM VOUCHER SUBMITTED BY MR. DEAN A. FOOTE FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES OF OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS AT HIS NEW OFFICIAL STATION INCIDENT TO A TRANSFER FROM ROLLA, MISSOURI, TO ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, FOR A PERIOD IN EXCESS OF THE 10 DAYS ESTIMATED FOR ALLOWANCE IN HIS TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION.

INCLUDED IN THE DOCUMENTS ATTACHED TO YOUR LETTER ARE COPIES OF A FOREST SERVICE FORM, "INDIVIDUAL'S REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION" COMPLETED BY MR. FOOTE ON DECEMBER 2, 1968, AND THE EMPLOYEE'S TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION FOR PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION DATED DECEMBER 11, 1968. THE REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION SHOWS IN ITEM 6 A REQUEST FOR SUBSISTENCE EXPENSES FOR THE EMPLOYEE AND HIS FAMILY FOR A PERIOD OF NOT MORE THAN 30 DAYS WHILE OCCUPYING TEMPORARY QUARTERS AT THE NEW OFFICIAL STATION. THE TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION PROVIDES, WITH RESPECT TO ALLOWANCE OF TEMPORARY QUARTERS, "AN ESTIMATED 10 DAYS." THE 10-DAY ESTIMATE WAS APPARENTLY BASED ON THE EMPLOYEE MOVING TO A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSE ON JANUARY 25, 1969, AND THE FACT THAT HE WOULD BE ON TEMPORARY TRAINING DUTY IN ATLANTA DURING THE PERIOD JANUARY 21 TO 24, 1969. AS TO THE EXTENSION OF THE ALLOWABLE PERIOD FOR TEMPORARY QUARTERS BECAUSE OF ABSENCE FOR OFFICIAL DUTY ELSEWHERE SEE 47 COMP. GEN. 322, B-162641, NOVEMBER 27, 1967.

MR. FOOTE'S ORIGINAL TRAVEL VOUCHER CLAIMED REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES INCIDENT TO OCCUPANCY OF TEMPORARY QUARTERS FOR A TOTAL PERIOD OF 22-3/4 DAYS, OR 12-3/4 DAYS IN EXCESS OF THAT ESTIMATED IN THE TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION. YOU QUESTION WHETHER HE MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR TIME IN EXCESS OF THE PERIOD ESTIMATED IN HIS TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION.

IN THIS CASE THE EMPLOYEE WAS UNABLE TO PURCHASE SUITABLE HOUSING ALREADY CONSTRUCTED AND, DURING AN ADVANCE HOUSE HUNTING TRIP, CONTRACTED TO PURCHASE A HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THE 10-DAY TEMPORARY QUARTERS PERIOD ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED AS EXTENDED BY THE TIME SCHEDULED FOR TEMPORARY DUTY AWAY FROM THE OFFICIAL STATION. DUE TO UNUSUALLY INCLEMENT WEATHER CONSTRUCTION WAS DELAYED AND THE HOUSE WAS NOT COMPLETED UNTIL 13 DAYS AFTER THE EXPECTED DATE OF READINESS. THE EMPLOYEE WAS NOT ADVISED OF THE DELAY SUFFICIENTLY IN ADVANCE OF THE EXPIRATION OF THE 10-DAY TEMPORARY QUARTERS PERIOD TO MAKE A FORMAL REQUEST FOR AN ADDITIONAL PERIOD FOR TEMPORARY QUARTERS ALLOWANCE. HOWEVER, YOUR LETTER STATES ADDITIONAL TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN AUTHORIZED HAD A TIMELY REQUEST BEEN MADE. ALSO, THE ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AT ROANOKE STATES THAT A REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN MADE TO YOUR OFFICE ON BEHALF OF MR. FOOTE IF THAT OFFICE HAD BEEN AWARE OF THE NEED.

SINCE THE TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION STATES THE 10 DAYS FOR TEMPORARY QUARTERS IS AN ESTIMATE AND SINCE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL OF AN EXTENSION OF TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN GRANTED, WE SEE NO OBJECTION TO ALLOWANCE OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ADDITIONAL DAYS CLAIMED. SEE B-168063, NOVEMBER 7, 1969, COPY ENCLOSED.

THE VOUCHER IS RETURNED HEREWITH AND MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT IF OTHERWISE CORRECT.