Claim for Reimbursement of Expenses for House-Hunting Trip and Temporary Quarters

An employee appealed the Claims Division denial of his expense claim for reimbursement of expenses incurred for a house-hunting trip and temporary lodgings incident to a change of duty station. Because his travel orders were in transmission at the time of his departure, the claimant attempted to verify the authorization of the trip but was unable to contact agency regional officials. On the advice of his assistant manager and acting in good faith, the employee proceeded on the trip according to his plans. However, the assistant manager did not have authority to authorize a house-hunting trip, and the travel orders did not contain authorization. Therefore, the agency and the Claims Division denied the claim. On appeal, the employee claimed that the delay in transmission of travel orders and the misinformation given by his assistant manager constituted an administrative error which could be corrected by retroactive amendment of the travel orders to authorize a house-hunting trip. Federal regulations provide that a trip for finding residence quarters shall not be made at Government expense unless a permanent change of station travel order has been issued which includes authorization for the trip and the required agreement signed by the employee. Since the record indicated that the assistant manager did not have the authority to authorize the trip, payment of the claim could not be predicated on the employee's assurance that such expenses would be reimbursed. It has been held that in the absence of authorization prior to performance of a trip authorized by an official vested with authority to grant such authorization, house-hunting expenses may not be reimbursed. The denial of this portion of the claim was sustained. However, meals and lodging costs may be reimbursed as temporary quarters subsistence expenses because the travel to the new station was viewed as travel to effect a permanent change of station.