B-151867, NOV. 19, 1963
Highlights
THE APPROPRIATE REIMBURSEMENT INCIDENT TO THE MOVEMENT OF HIS HOUSE TRAILER BY COMMERCIAL HAULER TO THIS STATION WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR DECISION TO YOU. - HIS ENTITLEMENT TO REIMBURSEMENT WAS LIMITED TO THE ACTUAL EXPENSES INCURRED IN TRANSPORTING THE HOUSE TRAILER TO HIS NEW STATION. WE NOTE FROM THE RECORD THAT THE HOUSE TRAILER WAS TRANSPORTED FOR USE AS A RESIDENCE. UNPACKING OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS WHERE THERE IS INVOLVED AN ORDINARY MOVEMENT OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS INCIDENT TO A CHANGE OF PERMANENT STATION. THE AUTHORITY FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF A HOUSE TRAILER BY A COMMERCIAL HAULER IS CONTAINED IN THE LAW CODIFIED AT 5 U.S.C. 73B-1 (B) AND PROVIDES THAT- - IN LIEU OF ENTITLEMENT TO TRANSPORTATION UNDER 5 U.S.C. 73B-1 (A/.
B-151867, NOV. 19, 1963
TO MR. K. S. BECK, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR:
BY LETTER DATED OCTOBER 8, 1963, YOU REQUESTED OUR REVIEW OF A RECLAIM VOUCHER SUBMITTED BY MR. EDWARD E. COUNTREMAN IN CONNECTION WITH HIS CHANGE OF PERMANENT STATION FROM BAKER, NEVADA, TO SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. THE APPROPRIATE REIMBURSEMENT INCIDENT TO THE MOVEMENT OF HIS HOUSE TRAILER BY COMMERCIAL HAULER TO THIS STATION WAS THE SUBJECT OF OUR DECISION TO YOU, B-151867, JULY 18, 1963. IN THAT DECISION WE FOLLOWED THE RULES STATED IN B-147582, JUNE 20, 1962, 41 COMP. GEN. 811, AND HELD THAT--- CONTINGENT UPON THE EMPLOYEE USING HIS HOUSE TRAILER FOR A HOME AT HIS NEW STATION--- HIS ENTITLEMENT TO REIMBURSEMENT WAS LIMITED TO THE ACTUAL EXPENSES INCURRED IN TRANSPORTING THE HOUSE TRAILER TO HIS NEW STATION.
IN HIS RECLAIM VOUCHER DATED OCTOBER 3, 1963, MR. COUNTREMAN CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT ON A COMMUTED RATE FOR PACKING AND TRANSPORTING HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS FROM THE GOVERNMENT-OWNED QUARTERS AT HIS FORMER STATION TO HIS HOUSE TRAILER. HE STATES THAT THIS INVOLVED A MOVEMENT OF APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE. ALSO, WE NOTE FROM THE RECORD THAT THE HOUSE TRAILER WAS TRANSPORTED FOR USE AS A RESIDENCE.
SUBSECTION 1 (A) OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES ACT OF 1946, AS AMENDED, 5 U.S.C. 73B-1 (A), INCLUDES PROVISION FOR THE REIMBURSEMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, PACKING, CRATING, TEMPORARY STORAGE, DRAYAGE, AND UNPACKING OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS WHERE THERE IS INVOLVED AN ORDINARY MOVEMENT OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS INCIDENT TO A CHANGE OF PERMANENT STATION. HOWEVER, THE AUTHORITY FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF A HOUSE TRAILER BY A COMMERCIAL HAULER IS CONTAINED IN THE LAW CODIFIED AT 5 U.S.C. 73B-1 (B) AND PROVIDES THAT- - IN LIEU OF ENTITLEMENT TO TRANSPORTATION UNDER 5 U.S.C. 73B-1 (A/--- AN EMPLOYEE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE ACTUAL EXPENSES FOR THE TRANSPORTATION BY COMMERCIAL MEANS OF THE HOUSE TRAILER. REIMBURSEMENT ON A COMMUTED BASIS, OR OTHERWISE, FOR THE PACKING, DRAYAGE, AND UNPACKING OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS MOVED IN THE HOUSE TRAILER IS NOT ALLOWED WHERE ALLOWANCE FOR THE MOVEMENT OF A HOUSE TRAILER IS INVOLVED. MOREOVER, THE FACTS OF RECORD CLEARLY SHOW THAT THE EMPLOYEE INCURRED NO EXPENSES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PACKING OF AND MOVING OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS TO HIS HOUSE TRAILER. ACCORDINGLY, SUBJECT TO THE RESTRICTIONS IN THE STATUTE AND REGULATIONS, MR. COUNTREMAN'S ENTITLEMENT FOR THE MOVEMENT OF HIS HOUSE TRAILER BY COMMERCIAL MEANS IS LIMITED TO THE ACTUAL COST ($276.20) OF TRANSPORTING THE HOUSE TRAILER.
THE RECLAIM VOUCHER, WHICH TOGETHER WITH RELATED PAPERS IS RETURNED,MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.