[Decision Concerning Appeal of Claims Group's Denial of FAA Employee's Claim for Reimbursement of Meal Expenses]

A labor union requested that GAO either: (1) vacate the Claims Group's denial of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee's claim for additional temporary quarters subsistence expenses, since the claimant had filed a formal grievance on the matter; or (2) reconsider the denial based on provisions in the collective bargaining agreement between FAA and the union to reimburse the full amount of permanent employee transfer expenses. GAO held that: (1) it would not vacate the Claims Group settlement, since FAA properly filed the claim with GAO but did not advise the Claims Group of the grievance; and (2) FAA reasonably allowed reimbursement for 55 percent of the expenses, as required. Accordingly, the claims was denied.