Claim for Reimbursement of Lodging Expenses Away From Temporary Duty Station

An authorized certifying officer of the Department of Agriculture requested a decision on certain issues concerning an employee's entitlement to reimbursement for the following: (1) costs incurred at the employee's temporary duty station when, as a result of unforeseen circumstances, he was forced to spend the night at his permanent duty station; (2) costs for any meals taken at the employee's permanent duty station; and (3) lodging costs incurred when the employee spent the night in a city at a location other than his permanent or temporary duty stations while retaining his accommodations at the temporary station. During the fire seasons, the employee, a pilot with the Forest Service, was generally detailed from his permanent duty station to a temporary duty station enabling him to be available to transport personnel during emergency situations. The first instance involved a flight where, due to engine trouble, the employee had to remain at his permanent station overnight and stayed in his own home, but retained the motel room at the temporary station. The second instance involved a flight where, due to rerouting, he was compelled to stay in a city other than the assigned temporary duty station because he had exhausted his crew limitation time and could not fly anymore that day. GAO held that lodging expenses both at and away from the temporary station may be paid if the pilot unexpectedly remains overnight at his permanent station. It also held that the lodging costs may be paid if the pilot unexpectedly remains overnight away from the temporary station. The payment may be in addition to per diem or actual subsistence expenses payable for the travel as actually performed. Accordingly, those decisions involving dual lodgings which restrict the employee to the daily allowance authorized to pay for both lodgings need no longer be followed. In the future, the employee may be reimbursd in accordance with either the per diem or actual subsistence expense allowance authorized in his orders based upon the lodgings actually occupied. He may also be reimbursed the additional cost incurred for the lodging he does not occupy to the extent that such costs would have been allowed had the travel plans not been changed. Payments in these cases must be based on a determination by the appropriate agency official that the employee acted reasonably in retaining the lodgings at his temporary duty station. Accordingly, the vouchers submitted may be certified for payment.