[Payment of Commercial Parking Costs of Severely Disabled Employees]
Highlights
The General Services Administration asked whether agencies may expend appropriated funds on commercial parking for severely disabled federal employees when there are no government-owned or controlled parking facilities available. Despite the government's strong commitment to facilitate employment of the handicapped, the rule that appropriated funds may not be used to pay for daily parking costs of federal employees in commercial facilities generally applies to severely handicapped employees. GAO held that an exception is warranted when a severely handicapped employee must pay substantially higher commercial parking costs, because of that employee's condition, than those customarily paid by nondisabled employees working in the same building who are able to utilize less expensive facilities at a greater distance. GAO further held that, when an exception is warranted, appropriated funds can be used to pay the difference between the parking costs that the severely disabled employee must pay and the costs generally paid by nondisabled federal employees working in the same facility.