[Question Concerning Debt Asserted Against Forest Ranger]
Highlights
GAO reviewed a Forest Service determination that, in accordance with its regulations, a forest ranger should reimburse the government for the unauthorized expenditure of public funds for a building addition. Agency regulations provide that: (1) employees are held financially liable for willful or unauthorized acts which result in personal gain or when the deliberate violation of instructions causes a pecuniary loss to the government; and (2) employees should be advised concerning unintentional human errors or misinterpretations. GAO found that the agency did not properly apply its regulations in this case because: (1) there was no contention that the employee profited financially from his actions or that there was a deliberate violation of regulations; and (2) the violations resulted from unintentional human error, misjudgment, and misinterpretation. Accordingly, the Forest Service should terminate its efforts to collect the claim.