AFTER REPORTING EMPLOYEE REQUESTED LEAVE WITHOUT PAY WHICH WAS GRANTED AND LATER EXTENDED AT EMPLOYEE'S REQUEST BEYOND EXPIRATION OF PERIOD OF AGREED SERVICE. ALTHOUGH EMPLOYEE WAS THEREAFTER SEPARATED FOR ABANDONMENT OF POSITION. HE IS NOT LIABLE TO REPAY TRAVEL ADVANCE TO EXTENT FUNDS WERE EXPENDED FOR COMPENSABLE RELOCATION COSTS SINCE TIME IN LEAVE-WITHOUT PAY STATUS IS CONSIDERED GOVERNMENT S...

A decision was requested concerning repayment of funds advanced to an employee on leave without pay in connection with his travel to a new duty station. Time in leave-without-pay status is considered time in government service, and even though the employee was later separated for abandonment of service, he is not liable to repay his travel advance...