[Question Concerning Reimbursement of Temporary Quarters Expenses]

The Department of Energy requested an advance decision concerning whether an employee may be reimbursed for his dependent mother's temporary quarters in a nursing home subsequent to his transfer. GAO noted that: (1) the employee was authorized temporary quarters for himself, his family, and his mother pursuant to his transfer; (2) the employee's mother moved in with his mother-in-law until she could join the family, but she became ill and had to be hospitalized; and (3) since the employee's mother-in-law also became ill and was unable to care for his mother, the employee arranged to have his mother put in a nursing home until she was able to join the family. GAO found that: (1) administrative discretion in approving temporary quarters expenses generally requires that such expenditures be justified and made in connection with the employee's transfer; (2) temporary quarters expenses were approved for the employee's mother; (3) the employee placed his mother in a nursing home because she needed care and was unable to travel to join the family; (4) the expense of a nursing home would not have been necessary if the transfer had not occurred; and (5) the nursing home expenses were reasonably related to the employee's transfer. Accordingly, the claim may be paid.