Reimbursement of Relocation Expenses to New Appointee

A civilian employee appealed the disallowance of his claim for relocation expenses incurred in moving to his first duty station. The employee's travel authorization purported to authorize various relocation expenses. Despite the purported authorization of the expenses, the Department of the Army denied the employee's claim because as a new employee he was not entitled to relocation expenses under the applicable laws and regulations. Relocation expenses for new appointees reporting to their first duty station in the continental United States are expressly limited to those new employees serving in manpower shortage positions as determined by the Civil Service Commission. Because the employee was not appointed to a manpower shortage position, or assigned overseas, and since the expenses were unauthorized under regulations, there was no authority permitting reimbursement. Accordingly, the disallowance was sustained.