Claim for Additional Per Diem Allowance

A Federal employee filed a claim for additional per diem expenses. The employee took an official trip to Germany and was authorized to receive per diem in accordance with travel regulations. However, during his trip the regulations were amended, and the per diem rate for Heidelberg was lowered. The employee was paid the lower per diem rate for the time he spent in Heidelberg subsequent to the change in rates. The employee claimed that he had received no notice of the new reduced rates and that he should be paid at the original per diem rate. Since an amendatory regulation changing the per diem rates has the force and effect of law, the employee's ignorance of the changed rates was irrelevant. Accordingly, the claim was denied.