Claim for Reimbursement for Travel Expenses

An employee of the Department of Energy (DOE) on official business in Vienna, Austria, locked the key in his hotel room on the day he was scheduled to return to the United States. The hotel would not release him until he paid a fee for locking his key in his room. The employee paid the fee and claimed reimbursement. The claim was disallowed by DOE on the basis that the fee was not essential to the transaction of official business. GAO agreed with the DOE decision. Reimbursement is allowed for miscellaneous expenses when necessarily incurred by the traveler in connection with the transaction of official business. The employee was at fault in this matter, and the key fee was not incurred in connection with official business. The fee was personal to the employee and not payable by the Government. Thus, the claim was denied.