Howard Robinson, Jr.-Mileage-Household Goods

B-271337 Jul 01, 1996 Jump To VIEW DECISION RELATED PAGES GAO CONTACTS Highlights Who was authorized to ship his household goods by government bill of lading (GBL) system. Once an agency determines that shipment by GBL is the lower cost method and the employee chooses to move part of his goods by private transportation. The employee's reimbursement is limited to his actual expenses incurred. Since the employee's only expense was the cost of fuel for which he has already been reimbursed on a mileage basis for the use of his POV. A transferred employee was authorized and took a 9 day househunting trip. He was also authorized 60 days temporary quarters subsistence expenses but was in temporary quarters only 40 days. The agency action was incorrect. Who was stationed in Huntsville. View Decision Matter of: Howard Robinson, Jr.-Mileage-Household Goods Shipment-Temporary Quarters Subsistence Expense/Househunting Trip File: B-271337 Date: July 1, 1996 A transferred employee reclaims relocation mileage based on his odometer reading of 251 miles. The agency allowed him 174 miles based on the standard highway mileage guide for the distance between his old and new permanent duty stations, plus 10 percent to accommodate necessary detours, for a total of 191 miles. The additional 60 miles claimed may not be allowed since the employee has not satisfactorily explained the excess mileage to the agency. 41 C.F.R. Secs. 302-2.1 and 301-4.1 (1994). A transferred employee, who was authorized to ship his household goods by government bill of lading (GBL) system, reclaims reimbursement for transporting part of his household goods to his new duty station in his privately owned vehicle (POV) under the commuted rate system. Once an agency determines that shipment by GBL is the lower cost method and the employee chooses to move part of his goods by private transportation, the employee's reimbursement is limited to his actual expenses incurred. Since the employee's only expense was the cost of fuel for which he has already been reimbursed on a mileage basis for the use of his POV, which includes the cost of fuel, he has received the maximum reimbursement authorized. A transferred employee was authorized and took a 9 day househunting trip. He was also authorized 60 days temporary quarters subsistence expenses but was in temporary quarters only 40 days. The agency deducted the amount reimbursed to him for his househunting trip from the amount expended for temporary quarters. The agency action was incorrect. Under the Federal Travel Regulation, an agency may deduct the number of days spent househunting from the authorized temporary quarters period, thereby reducing the number of days available for temporary quarters. Since the total number of days spent by the employee in temporary quarters and househunting did not exceed the maximum temporary quarters period authorized, he may be reimbursed the actual allowable expenses incurred for both temporary quarters and househunting. DECISION Mr. Howard Robinson, an employee of the Department of Health and Human Services, appeals that portion of our Claims Settlement, Z-2869663, Nov. 29, 1995, disallowing him reimbursement for certain expenses incurred incident to a permanent change of station in October 1994. We overturn our claims settlement, in part, and sustain it, in part, for the following reasons. BACKGROUND Mr. Robinson, who was stationed in Huntsville, Alabama, was transferred to Atlanta, Georgia, effective October 30, 1994. His travel orders authorized transportation of dependents and himself by privately owned vehicle (POV); transportation of household goods through use of a government bill of lading, with a period of temporary storage, if required; subsistence expenses while occupying temporary quarters; and a househunting trip. Following completion of his permanent change of station and submission of his travel vouchers, the agency disallowed part of his travel claim. Mr. Robinson appealed that action to this Office and sought interest on any amount that this Office authorized him to be paid. By settlement Z-2869663, Nov. 29, 1995, we allowed his lease termination expense, but sustained the agency disallowance of the other items, including his claim for interest. In his present appeal, Mr. Robinson reclaims increased travel mileage for his one-way relocation travel based on his odometer reading of 251 miles, rather than the 191 miles allowed; transportation of part of his household goods through use of his POV on a commuted rate basis; and full reimbursement for both his househunting trip and his period of temporary quarters. OPINION Relocation Mileage Under subsection 301-4.1(b)(1) of the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR), [1] mileage reimbursement for use of a privately owned automobile is based on the distances between points traveled as shown in standard highway mileage guides, or actual miles driven as determined by odometer readings.