B-78758, OCTOBER 8, 1948, 28 COMP. GEN. 237

B-78758, OCTOBER 8, 1948, 28 COMP. GEN. 237

TRAVELING EXPENSES - INTERRUPTION OF LEAVE FOR PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AN EMPLOYEE WHOSE AUTHORIZED LEAVE OF ABSENCE WAS INTERRUPTED FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AT PLACES OTHER THAN HIS HEADQUARTERS AND FOR TEMPORARY RETURN TO HEADQUARTERS--- BEING PERMITTED THEREAFTER TO RESUME HIS LEAVE STATUS AT THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS INTERRUPTED--- IS ENTITLED TO PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE AND TRAVELING EXPENSES INCIDENT TO THE TRAVEL FROM HIS PLACE OF LEAVE TO PLACES OF TEMPORARY DUTY, HEADQUARTERS, AND RETURN TO PLACE OF LEAVE.

COMPTROLLER GENERAL WARREN TO J. L. WILKINSON, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OCTOBER 8, 1948:

THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERED YOUR LETTER OF JULY 19, 1948, TRANSMITTING A VOUCHER IN FAVOR OF JAMES E. WELLS, JR., FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL AND OTHER EXPENSES INCURRED BECAUSE OF AN INTERRUPTION OF LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR RETURN TO OFFICIAL DUTY, AND REQUESTING DECISION AS TO WHETHER SAID VOUCHER MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.

IT APPEARS THAT MR. WELLS WAS ON AUTHORIZED LEAVE OF ABSENCE AT MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA, WHEN IT BECAME NECESSARY FOR HIM, ON MARCH 19, 1948, TO PROCEED TO MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, THENCE TO CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND THEN BACK TO HIS OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF OFFICIAL DUTIES. HE RESUMED HIS LEAVE STATUS AT MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA, ON MAY 27, 1948.

THE RECORD INDICATES THAT AT THE TIME MR. WELLS ENTERED INTO A LEAVE STATUS HE HAD BEEN PERFORMING TRAVEL UNDER A GENERAL TRAVEL ORDER DATED JULY 15, 1947, COVERING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1948, AND IT IS ASSUMED THAT SUCH ORDER REPRESENTS THE AUTHORITY UNDER WHICH THE CLAIMANT PERFORMED THE TRAVEL HERE INVOLVED.

THE CLAIM COVERS REIMBURSEMENT FOR CASH FARES PAID BY THE CLAIMANT, INCLUDING TAXI FARES AND PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE FROM THE TIME HE DEPARTED FROM HIS PLACE OF LEAVE UNTIL HIS RETURN THERETO, EXCEPTING THE PERIOD SPENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., HIS OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS.

IT APPEARING FROM THE CLAIMANT'S STATEMENT ON THE VOUCHER THAT IT WAS NOT KNOWN PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE ON LEAVE THAT IT WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR HIM TO RETURN TO DUTY AS INDICATED, HE IS ENTITLED TO THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES OCCASIONED THEREBY, INCLUDING PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO NORMAL TRAVEL. COMP. GEN. 347; 16 ID. 481; A-86481, JULY 14, 1937; B-15967, MAY 31, 1941. IN THAT CONNECTION, IT IS FOR NOTING THAT THE CLAIMANT BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO RETAIN A PULLMAN RECEIPT DOES NOT CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT FOR COST OF LOWER BERTH FROM SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, TO MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, BUT DOES CLAIM FIRST-CLASS RAIL FARE. IT IS WELL SETTLED THAT, UNDER THE TRAVEL REGULATIONS, AN EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED ONLY TO COACH FARE UNLESS HE FURNISHES EVIDENCE THAT HE ACTUALLY USED FIRST-CLASS ACCOMMODATIONS, WHICH USUALLY TAKES THE FORM OF A PULLMAN RECEIPT. HENCE, THAT PORTION OF THE CLAIM FOR $8.32 PURPORTING TO REPRESENT FIRST-CLASS FARE FROM SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, TO MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, SHOULD BE REDUCED TO THE APPLICABLE COACH FARE.

THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT AFTER REDUCTION TO THE EXTENT INDICATED ABOVE, AND IF OTHERWISE CORRECT AS TO COMPUTATION, ETC. ..END :