[Claim Concerning Reimbursement for Meal Expenses at Official Duty Station]

An authorized certifying officer asked whether a National Park Service employee could be reimbursed for evening meal expenses incurred within his official duty station area on a special assignment to promote tourism. The employee submitted a claim for a meal eaten while he accompanied a foreign tourism official around the park and surrounding areas. The certifying officer also expressed his belief that, because of the size of the parks, employees must often spend nights away from home on assignments and should be reimbursed for subsistence and lodging expenses at an intrapark per diem rate. With reference to the second issue, GAO found that, since the employee's meal was not part of an authorized conference or meeting, he was not entitled to reimbursement for the evening meal expenses which he claimed. GAO has held that an employee may not be paid per diem or subsistence at his headquarters regardless of any unusual working conditions involved. The only exception to this rule is when the meal is incidental to a conference or meeting. Further, since there is a proscription against payment of per diem or subsistence for expenses incurred at a permanent duty station, the Park Service may officially designate a subdivision of the park as an employee's official duty station. Where such a subdivision has not been designated, the solution must come from legislative action.