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B-170259, SEP. 15, 1970

B-170259 Sep 15, 1970
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RELOCATION EXPENSES AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF VOUCHER COVERING EXPENSES INCURRED BY EMPLOYEE INCIDENT TO SALE OF RESIDENCE AND FOR HOUSE HUNTING TRIP WHEN TRANSFER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CANCELLED. WAS ADVISED THAT SHE WOULD REMAIN IN PRESENT POSITION. LOCATION MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSES INCURRED AFTER TRAVEL ORDER WAS ISSUED AND PRIOR TO ITS CANCELLATION SINCE ITEMS WOULD HAVE BEEN PAYABLE HAD TRANSFER BEEN CONSUMMATED. E. KUHN: FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED MAY 26. INCIDENT TO HER PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION WHICH WAS LATER CANCELLED. YOUR REQUEST WAS ASSIGNED CONTROL NO. 70-34. MORMAN WAS NOTIFIED BY LETTER DATED JANUARY 29. SHE WAS OFFERED A POSITION WITH THE SAME GRADE AND SALARY AT HUNTINGTON.

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B-170259, SEP. 15, 1970

TRANSFERRED EMPLOYEE -- RELOCATION EXPENSES AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF VOUCHER COVERING EXPENSES INCURRED BY EMPLOYEE INCIDENT TO SALE OF RESIDENCE AND FOR HOUSE HUNTING TRIP WHEN TRANSFER WAS SUBSEQUENTLY CANCELLED. EMPLOYEE WHO, AFTER TRAVEL ON A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP TO A NEW STATION AND SALE OF RESIDENCE INCIDENT TO REMOVAL FROM POSITION AT OLD STATION, WAS ADVISED THAT SHE WOULD REMAIN IN PRESENT POSITION, AND LOCATION MAY BE REIMBURSED FOR EXPENSES INCURRED AFTER TRAVEL ORDER WAS ISSUED AND PRIOR TO ITS CANCELLATION SINCE ITEMS WOULD HAVE BEEN PAYABLE HAD TRANSFER BEEN CONSUMMATED.

TO MISS H. E. KUHN:

FURTHER REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER DATED MAY 26, 1970, REQUESTING A DECISION AS TO THE PROPRIETY OF PAYING A VOUCHER IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,063.20 IN FAVOR OF MRS. JEANNE E. MORMAN, COVERING EXPENSES SHE INCURRED IN THE SALE OF HER RESIDENCE AT POWELL, OHIO, AND FOR A HOUSE HUNTING TRIP TO HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, INCIDENT TO HER PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION WHICH WAS LATER CANCELLED. YOUR REQUEST WAS ASSIGNED CONTROL NO. 70-34, BY THE PER DIEM, TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE COMMITTEE.

THE PAPERS SUPPORTING THE VOUCHER DISCLOSE THAT MRS. MORMAN WAS NOTIFIED BY LETTER DATED JANUARY 29, 1970, THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO REMOVE HER FROM HER POSITION IN THE DELAWARE, OHIO, OFFICE EFFECTIVE APRIL 4, 1970, AND SHE WAS OFFERED A POSITION WITH THE SAME GRADE AND SALARY AT HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA. BY LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 11, 1970, SHE ACCEPTED THE POSITION OFFERED. SHE SIGNED THE REQUIRED TRANSPORTATION AGREEMENT ON MARCH 18, 1970.

A TRAVEL ORDER ISSUED MARCH 18, 1970, AUTHORIZED, AMONG OTHER THINGS, REAL ESTATE EXPENSES AND A ROUND TRIP TO HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, TO SEEK PERMANENT RESIDENCE. MRS. MORMAN HAS CLAIMED PER DIEM AND MILEAGE TOTALING $58.20 INCIDENT TO TRAVEL FROM DELAWARE, OHIO, TO HUNTINGTON, WEST VIRGINIA, AND RETURN, PERFORMED ON MARCH 25 AND 26, 1970, AND CERTAIN REAL ESTATE EXPENSES IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,005 IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE OF HER RESIDENCE AT POWELL, OHIO, WHICH WAS CLOSED ON MARCH 24, 1970.

ON MARCH 27, 1970, MRS. MORMAN WAS ADVISED BY TELEPHONE AND LETTER THAT SHE WOULD REMAIN IN HER PRESENT POSITION AND LOCATION. HER TRAVEL ORDER WAS LATER REVOKED.

WE HAVE HELD THAT EXPENSES INCURRED IN COMPLYING WITH A CHANGE OF STATION ORDER PRIOR TO ITS CANCELLATION MAY BE REIMBURSED. THE EXPENSES FOR WHICH REIMBURSEMENT IS CLAIMED, INCURRED AFTER THE TRAVEL ORDER WAS ISSUED AND PRIOR TO ITS CANCELLATION, WERE CONTRACTED BY MRS. MORMAN IN GOOD FAITH IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE ORDER DURING THE TIME IT WAS IN EFFECT. THE ITEMS CLAIMED ARE SUCH AS WOULD HAVE BEEN PAYABLE HAD THE TRANSFER BEEN CONSUMMATED.

ACCORDINGLY, THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED, MAY BE PAID IF OTHERWISE PROPER.

IN ADDITION TO QUESTIONING THE VOUCHER COVERING EXPENSES ALREADY INCURRED, YOU REQUESTED A DECISION AS TO WHETHER MRS. MORMAN IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES SHE MIGHT INCUR IN CONNECTION WITH PURCHASE OF A NEW RESIDENCE. SINCE THIS ITEM IS NOT BEFORE YOU FOR PAYMENT WE MUST DECLINE TO ANSWER THE QUESTION AT THIS TIME. IN THE EVENT A VOUCHER IS SUBMITTED TO YOU COVERING THE PURCHASE OF A RESIDENCE AT THE OLD DUTY STATION THE MATTER SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO US FOR DECISION.

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