Claim for Expenses Incurred Incident to House-Hunting Trip

An employee requested reconsideration of a settlement which disallowed his claim for reimbursement of expenses incurred on a house-hunting trip prior to his relocation to a new permanent duty station. The trip was not authorized on the travel order issued by the appropriate agency officials due to their unfamiliarity with the regulations. The employee was not entitled to reimbursement for the expenses since the trip was not authorized in advance, as required by law and by applicable regulations, and there was no administrative error in the travel order which would have permitted its amendment.