Payment of Reclaim Voucher for Per Diem Expenses

The issue decided in this case was what per diem rate to use for reimbursement to an employee who transported and stayed in his camper in accomplishing a temporary duty assignment. The employee contended that he was entitled to reimbursement for the higher lodging costs that he would have incurred had he traveled by air. However, Federal Travel Regulations provide that this amount is only allowable if the traveler uses the carrier upon which the transportation costs are incurred. In this case the lodgings-plus system of computing per diem apply, whereby the traveler is entitled to the average cost of his lodgings plus an allowance for miscellaneous expenses. Accordingly, it was held that while the employee was not entitled to reimbursement for costs constructed according to the higher per diem rate, he was entitled to reimbursement based on the lodgings-plus per diem rate.