B-185718, NOV 9, 1976
Highlights
TRAVEL WAS FOR PERSONAL REASONS. THERE IS NO AUTHORITY UNDER APPLICABLE STATUTES AND REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT FOR PERSONAL TRAVEL. WHOSE DUTY STATION WAS NOGALES. WAS ON TEMPORARY DUTY FOR TRAINING AT THE U.S. THE TRAVEL VOUCHER IN QUESTION IS FOR THE COST OF HIS ROUND-TRIP AIR TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN SALT LAKE CITY AND WASHINGTON. THERE IS NO AUTHORITY UNDER APPLICABLE STATUTES OR REGULATIONS TO REIMBURSE MR. AS THE TRAVEL WAS FOR PERSONAL REASONS. THAT ROUND-TRIP TRAVEL FROM A TEMPORARY DUTY STATION TO A PERMANENT DUTY STATION RESULTING FROM THE ILLNESS OR DEATH OF A FAMILY MEMBER WAS PERSONAL TRAVEL AND NOT COMPENSABLE UNDER STATUTES AND REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.
B-185718, NOV 9, 1976
EMPLOYEE OF U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE ON TEMPORARY DUTY ASSIGNMENT FOR TRAINING IN WASHINGTON, D.C., MAY NOT BE REIMBURSED FOR COST OF ROUND TRIP AIR TRANSPORTATION TO SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, TO ATTEND FUNERAL OF FATHER. TRAVEL WAS FOR PERSONAL REASONS, AND THERE IS NO AUTHORITY UNDER APPLICABLE STATUTES AND REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT FOR PERSONAL TRAVEL. SEE 45 COMP.GEN. 299 (1965).
LEONARD D. HOLMAN - TRAVEL EXPENSES INCURRED DUE TO DEATH IN EMPLOYEE'S FAMILY:
MR. PETER F. GONZALEZ, DIRECTOR, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT DIVISION, UNITED STATES CUSTOMS SERVICE, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, BY LETTER OF JANUARY 5, 1976, REQUESTED AN ADVANCE DECISION AS TO THE PROPRIETY OF PAYING A TRAVEL VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF U.S. CUSTOMS INSPECTOR LEONARD D. HOLMAN.
THE RECORD SHOWS THAT MR. HOLMAN, WHOSE DUTY STATION WAS NOGALES, ARIZONA, WAS ON TEMPORARY DUTY FOR TRAINING AT THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE ACADEMY IN WASHINGTON, D.C., FROM SEPTEMBER 8, 1875, TO OCTOBER 24, 1975. WHILE AT THE ACADEMY, MR. HOLMAN TOOK ANNUAL LEAVE AND FLEW TO SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL OF HIS FATHER. AFTER THE FUNERAL, HE RETURNED TO THE ACADEMY AND COMPLETED HIS TRAINING. THE TRAVEL VOUCHER IN QUESTION IS FOR THE COST OF HIS ROUND-TRIP AIR TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN SALT LAKE CITY AND WASHINGTON, D.C., TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL.
THERE IS NO AUTHORITY UNDER APPLICABLE STATUTES OR REGULATIONS TO REIMBURSE MR. HOLMAN FOR THE COST OF ROUND-TRIP TRAVEL BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND SALT LAKE CITY, AS THE TRAVEL WAS FOR PERSONAL REASONS. IN THIS CONNECTION WE HELD IN A CASE SIMILAR TO THE PRESENT ONE, 45 COMP.GEN. 299 (1965), THAT ROUND-TRIP TRAVEL FROM A TEMPORARY DUTY STATION TO A PERMANENT DUTY STATION RESULTING FROM THE ILLNESS OR DEATH OF A FAMILY MEMBER WAS PERSONAL TRAVEL AND NOT COMPENSABLE UNDER STATUTES AND REGULATIONS AUTHORIZING TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. SEE 47 COMP.GEN. 59 (1967).
ACCORDINGLY, THE TRAVEL VOUCHER OF MR. HOLMAN IS RETURNED AND MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.