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[Claim for Reimbursement of Relocation Expenses]

B-207175 Dec 02, 1982
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Highlights

A decision was requested as to whether an employee of the Soil Conservation Service was entitled to certain relocation expenses incident to a short distance transfer. The employee was transferred to a newly consolidated office 36 miles from his old duty station. The claimant was authorized to move his family and household goods from his existing residence to his new duty station. However, he was unable to find suitable housing nearer the new station and he took up a temporary residence between the old and new stations. In the meantime, his family vacated the house at the old duty station because it had been sold, moved into rental housing, and subsequently moved back into the house following the buyer's breach of contract. He filed claims for the transportation of household goods, temporary quarters, and miscellaneous expenses incident to his transfer. The agency denied the claim on the grounds that the expenses detailed by the claimant were not incurred incident to his transfer because of the short distance between his old residence and his temporary quarters and the availability of housing in the area of his new duty station. GAO was asked to determine whether the employee was entitled to reimbursement of the claimed expenses. GAO held that: (1) although the employee attempted to sell his home and move his family and household goods out of the old residence, the record contains no evidence of the employee's intention or good faith attempt to relocate closer to the new duty station; and (2) the employee was not entitled to payment of temporary quarters since the distance between his new official station and old residence is not more than 40 miles greater than the distance between his old residence and his old official station. Accordingly, the voucher submitted by the claimant may not be paid.

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