B-86047, JUNE 7, 1949, 28 COMP. GEN. 697
Highlights
TRAVELING EXPENSES - INTERRUPTION OF LEAVE FOR PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AT PLACE OF LEAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHOSE LEAVE OF ABSENCE AWAY FROM HIS OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS WAS INTERRUPTED FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AT THE PLACE OF LEAVE. - UNDER ORDERS WHICH AUTHORIZED PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE IS TO BE REGARDED AS IN A TRAVEL STATUS. 1949: REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 14. SINCE NO TRAVEL WAS NECESSARY IN CONNECTION WITH THE TEMPORARY DUTY. THAT IS. YOU REQUEST A DECISION WHETHER PAYMENT ON THE VOUCHER IS AUTHORIZED. THE ESTABLISHED RULE LONG RECOGNIZED BY THIS OFFICE THAT AN EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. IS FOR APPLICATION REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT SUCH OFFICIAL DUTY IS REQUIRED TO BE PERFORMED AT THE PLACE OF LEAVE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL TRAVEL.
B-86047, JUNE 7, 1949, 28 COMP. GEN. 697
TRAVELING EXPENSES - INTERRUPTION OF LEAVE FOR PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AT PLACE OF LEAVE AN EMPLOYEE WHOSE LEAVE OF ABSENCE AWAY FROM HIS OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS WAS INTERRUPTED FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AT THE PLACE OF LEAVE--- THERE BEING NO ADDITIONAL TRAVEL INVOLVED--- UNDER ORDERS WHICH AUTHORIZED PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE IS TO BE REGARDED AS IN A TRAVEL STATUS, SO AS TO BE ENTITLED TO PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE FOR THE PERIOD OF TEMPORARY DUTY. 16 COMP. GEN. 481; 25 ID. 347; 28 ID. 237, AMPLIFIED.
COMPTROLLER GENERAL WARREN TO LT. COL. K. L. BRAZIER, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, JUNE 7, 1949:
REFERENCE IS MADE TO YOUR LETTER OF APRIL 14, 1949, FILE PA:LD:EG, FORWARDED HERE BY FIRST INDORSEMENT DATED APRIL 28, 1949, FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF FINANCE, TRANSMITTING A VOUCHER FROM WAYLAND C. SLOAN FOR PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF $30. THE SAID PER DIEM COVERS FIVE DAYS, WHICH FIVE DAYS CONSTITUTED AN INTERRUPTION OF THE EMPLOYEE'S LEAVE OF ABSENCE AT SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, AWAY FROM HIS OFFICIAL HEADQUARTERS, FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF TEMPORARY DUTY AT THE PLACE OF LEAVE. SINCE NO TRAVEL WAS NECESSARY IN CONNECTION WITH THE TEMPORARY DUTY, YOU EXPRESS DOUBT AS TO WHETHER THE EMPLOYEE WOULD, FOR THE SAID FIVE DAYS, BE IN A TRAVEL STATUS, THAT IS, WHETHER THE PER DIEM CLAIMED MAY BE PAID UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE SUBSISTENCE EXPENSE ACT OF 1926, 44 STAT. 688, AS AMENDED, AND YOU REQUEST A DECISION WHETHER PAYMENT ON THE VOUCHER IS AUTHORIZED.
THE ESTABLISHED RULE LONG RECOGNIZED BY THIS OFFICE THAT AN EMPLOYEE IS ENTITLED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES, INCLUDING PER DIEM IN LIEU OF SUBSISTENCE, INCURRED BECAUSE OF INTERRUPTION OF LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR RETURN TO OFFICIAL DUTY (16 COMP. GEN. 481; 25 ID. 347; 28 ID. 237), IS FOR APPLICATION REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT SUCH OFFICIAL DUTY IS REQUIRED TO BE PERFORMED AT THE PLACE OF LEAVE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL TRAVEL. THE FACT THAT AN EMPLOYEE IS ORDERED TO AND PERFORMS DUTY AT A PLACE OTHER THAN HIS OFFICIAL STATION IN EFFECT PLACES HIM IN A TRAVEL STATUS FOR PER DIEM PURPOSES AND WHERE, AS IN THE INSTANT CASE, THE PER DIEM IS DULY AUTHORIZED IN THE ORDER DIRECTING THE TEMPORARY DUTY, PAYMENT THEREOF IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE LAWS AND REGULATIONS WILL NOT BE QUESTIONED BY THIS OFFICE.
ACCORDINGLY, PAYMENT ON THE SUBMITTED VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, IS AUTHORIZED, IF IT BE OTHERWISE CORRECT.