Claim for Per Diem and Temporary Quarters Expenses

A finance officer at the Department of the Army, Redstone Arsenal, requested an advance decision regarding the computation of per diem and temporary quarters subsistence expenses claimed by an Army member. The expenses were incurred in connection with a permanent change of duty station. The specific question submitted by the finance officer was whether the day the member left his old duty station should be counted against his temporary quarters limit of 30 days, since he was in temporary quarters until 8:10 a.m. on that day. Further, he inquired as to whether the member would be entitled to per diem for three-fourths of a day or for a full day in the event that the departure day was not counted against his 30-day limit. GAO held that an employee who occupied temporary quarters at the old duty station and interrupted this occupancy for a permanent change of station may elect not to count the day of departure against his 30-day limit for temporary quarters. Regardless of whether the employee elected to count the departure day towards his 30-day limit, he was eligible only for three-fourths of a day for purposes of per diem calculation. Even though the member was in travel status for 18 hours, he entered the travel status during the second quarter of the day. Per diem calculations must be made on the basis of the standard time currently in effect at the place involved, except when the traveler crosses the international date line. Therefore, the expense claim may be certified for payment according to the given guidelines.