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[Claim for Meal Expenses]

B-208082 Feb 01, 1983
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Highlights

GAO was asked for an advance decision regarding an employee's claim for the cost of a meal obtained while returning from a temporary duty assignment. In addition, guidance was requested concerning the types of situations in which it is appropriate to reimburse an employee for the cost of a meal obtained shortly after beginning or completing temporary duty travel. The employee ate dinner before boarding a flight to his duty station because there was no meal served on the flight and he would be arriving at his destination after his normal meal hour. The employee's claim was disallowed by the agency's certifying officer on the basis of a GAO decision which denied reimbursement of the cost of a meal purchased at an airport immediately before departing for the employee's residence. GAO held that, while the primary consideration in such cases is the amount the employee's eating routine would be interrupted had he taken his meal at home, the determination as to whether it would be unreasonable to expect the employee to eat dinner at home is a matter primarily for the agency concerned. In this case, GAO found that it did not appear improper to reimburse the employee for his meal. In addition, GAO stated that, in cases involving an item of $25 or less, the certifying officer should be able to settle the claim without a request for an advance decision.

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