[Entitlement of Cooperative Education Student to Per Diem at Duty Station]

A Forest Service authorized certifying officer requested a decision as to whether an employee was entitled to per diem while employed by the agency as a cooperative education student. The location where the employee performed most of her work was designated as her permanent duty station, although regular employees at the location normally received a different permanent duty station designation. When the employee's status was changed from student to regular, her permanent duty station designation was altered to reflect the change. The employee claimed per diem for the time she was a student employee. GAO held that, since her student employment was located at her permanent duty station, there was no regulation to allow for per diem. Accordingly, the employee's per diem claim was not allowed.