Board of Contract Appeals
                    General Services Administration
                         Washington, D.C. 20405
 
 
 
                     ______________________________
 
                           November 10, 1998
                     _____________________________
 
 
                            GSBCA 14312-TRAV
 
 
                   In the Matter of SANDRA L. ROBERTS
 
 
        Sandra L. Roberts, Sterling Heights, MI, Claimant.
 
        Gregory  Bitz and  T.  J.  Heavyside,  Defense  Finance  and
   Accounting Service, Indianapolis, IN,  appearing for the  Defense
   Finance and Accounting Service.
 
   WILLIAMS, Board Judge.
 
        Claimant,  Sandra L. Roberts, seeks reimbursement of $672.22
   from the  Defense Finance and  Accounting Service (DFAS)  for her
   travel  expenses  incurred  in connection  with  a pre-employment
   interview by the Department of  Justice (DOJ).  The interview was
   necessitated by a  reduction in force (RIF) at  the DFAS facility
   where claimant was  employed.  Because  no statute or  regulation
   requires DFAS to pay these  travel expenses, we conclude that the
   agency properly denied the claim.
 
                               Background
 
        In the spring  of 1996, claimant received a  RIF notice from
   DFAS-Detroit  indicating that her  employment there would  end on
   August 3,  1996.   Claimant applied  for a  job with DOJ  and was
   asked to  travel to  Washington, D.C., for  an interview  in June
   1996.   DOJ would not  pay claimant's expenses for  the interview
   trip.  Claimant was ultimately  hired by DOJ on October 21, 1996,
   for a position in Detroit.
 
        Claimant  believes  that,  because  DFAS  expended  funds to
   relocate federal employees  to other states, it  should reimburse
   her in a far lesser  amount for her interview expenses since  the
   job she secured did not require relocation.  Also, an employee in
   DFAS' Personnel Office told claimant that if she was selected for
   the DOJ job, DFAS "might possibly" pay her travel expenses later.
 
        DFAS refused to pay claimant's travel expenses, pointing out
   that  pre-employment   interview  travel   "is  a   discretionary
   entitlement granted and  funded by the interviewing  agency," and
   that  here DFAS  was not  the interviewing  agency.   Further, no
   travel orders had been issued to claimant.
 
 
                               Discussion
 
        Statute   permits,  but  does  not  require,  an  agency  to
   reimburse  interviewees   for  pre-employment   interview  travel
   expenses.  5 U.S.C.   5706b (1994) provides:
 
             An individual being  considered for employment  by
        an agency may be paid travel or transportation expenses
        under  this  subchapter  for travel  to  and  from pre-
        employment  interviews  determined   necessary  by  the
        agency.
 
        Under  applicable regulations,  federal agencies,  including
   Department of Defense (DoD)  components, are not required to  pay
   allowable  pre-employment   interview  expenses,  but   they  are
   authorized  to  do   so,  for  eligible  individuals,   in  their
   discretion.  Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) 41 CFR 301-1.200(b),
   301-1.201(a)  (1996);  Joint  Travel  Regulations  (JTR)  C6201A;
   accord  Roger L.  Twitchell,  B-219046  (Sept. 29, 1986)  (Marine
   Corps  could reimburse four  federal employees of  other agencies
   for travel expenses incurred in conjunction with their interviews
   for Marine Corps positions in accordance with travel orders);  60
   Comp.  Gen. 235  (1981)  (agency's  decision  as  to  whether  to
   reimburse   pre-employment  interview   travel  expenses   of  an
   applicant is a matter entrusted to the agency's discretion).  The
   implementing  regulations of the Department of Defense permit DoD
   to reimburse interviewees who are being considered for employment
   by a DoD component, but  do not expressly authorize DoD's payment
   of pre-employment interview expenses  for interviews conducted by
   other agencies.   Specifically, these regulations provide  that a
   "covered  individual"  for purposes  of  pre-employment interview
   travel is  an "interviewee" --  a term defined as  "an individual
   who is  being considered  for employment  by a  [DoD] component."
   JTR C6200-A.
 
        Because there is no statutory or regulatory requirement that
   DFAS reimburse claimant  for her pre-employment  interview travel
   expenses for her interview with  another agency, we conclude that
   the agency properly denied the claim.
 
                                Decision
 
        The claim is denied.
   ________________________________
 
                                      MARY ELLEN COSTER WILLIAMS
                                      Board Judge