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Request for Per Diem for Portion of House-Hunting Trip Extending Beyond 6 Days

B-199594 Jun 17, 1981
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Highlights

The Director, Fiscal and Accounting Management, Forest Service asked whether an employee may be paid for 1.5 days per diem in addition to the 6 days for which he had already been reimbursed. The employee was on a house-hunting trip incident to a permanent change of station. He and his wife were scheduled to return within the 6-day limitation, but the airplanes were grounded for safety reasons, and it was impossible for them to leave at the scheduled time. The airline was unable to get the employee and his wife a flight until the following day. The Forest Service denied the employee's claim for the additional 1.5 days since the regulations allow only 6 days for house-hunting trips. The Forest Service recognizes that regulations limit the period of travel at Government expense to 6 calendar days. However, it believed that this case was unique and payment for an additional 1.5 days should be approved. GAO disagreed and stated that the regulation is clear on its face and is clearly applicable to the travel in question. Thus, even though the delay in the return trip was clearly beyond the employee's control, GAO found no basis upon which to justify payment of the additional expenses. Accordingly, the claim was not allowed.

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