B-197024, AUG 7, 1980
Highlights
DIGEST: CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AT THE COMMUTED RATE IS DENIED BECAUSE DOCUMENTATION OF WEIGHT TRANSPORTED IS INSUFFICIENT. THE INVENTORY PERFORMED BY AGENCY INSPECTOR WAS INADEQUATE. HIS CLAIM IS DENIED BECAUSE DOCUMENTATION OF THE WEIGHT TRANSPORTED IS INSUFFICIENT. GOODSELL WAS HIRED IN THE MANPOWER SHORTAGE CATEGORY AND AUTHORIZED TRAVEL FROM RAPID CITY. HE WAS AUTHORIZED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AT THE COMMUTED RATE. THE SPACES FOR TARE AND NET WEIGHT ARE BLANK. THE ONLY OTHER EVIDENCE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE GOODS TRANSPORTED IS AN INVENTORY TAKEN BY THE AGENCY INSPECTOR. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE INVENTORY WAS BASED UPON A TOUR OF MR.
B-197024, AUG 7, 1980
DIGEST: CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AT THE COMMUTED RATE IS DENIED BECAUSE DOCUMENTATION OF WEIGHT TRANSPORTED IS INSUFFICIENT. THE WEIGHT CERTIFICATE SHOWED ONLY GROSS WEIGHT, NOT TARE OR NET WEIGHT, AND THE INVENTORY PERFORMED BY AGENCY INSPECTOR WAS INADEQUATE. SINCE THE RECORD CANNOT OTHERWISE SUPPORT PAYMENT AT THE COMMUTED RATE, EMPLOYEE MAY BE PAID ONLY ACTUAL EXPENSES.
DAVID C. GOODSELL - REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS:
MR. DAVID C. GOODSELL SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AT THE COMMUTED RATE. HIS CLAIM IS DENIED BECAUSE DOCUMENTATION OF THE WEIGHT TRANSPORTED IS INSUFFICIENT.
BY SETTLEMENT DATED OCTOBER 29, 1979, OUR CLAIMS DIVISION DENIED THE CLAIM OF MR. GOODSELL FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COST OF TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD GOODS AT THE COMMUTED RATE, BUT ALLOWED ACTUAL EXPENSES. MR. GOODSELL SEEKS RECONSIDERATION OF THAT SETTLEMENT.
THE RECORD SHOWS THAT MR. GOODSELL WAS HIRED IN THE MANPOWER SHORTAGE CATEGORY AND AUTHORIZED TRAVEL FROM RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA, TO HIS FIRST DUTY STATION AT RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT, TEXARKANA, TEXAS. HE WAS AUTHORIZED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE SHIPMENT OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS AT THE COMMUTED RATE. MR. GOODSELL STATES THAT HE TRAVELED IN TWO AUTOMOBILES. HE RODE ALONE IN ONE CAR TOWING A HOMEMADE AND UNLICENSED TRAILER LOADED WITH HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS. HIS WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN FOLLOWED IN THE SECOND CAR. ALTHOUGH MR. GOODSELL DID SUBMIT A WEIGHT CERTIFICATE FROM A SCALE IN TEXARKANA, THE CERTIFICATE SHOWS ONLY A GROSS WEIGHT OF 4,420 POUNDS. THE SPACES FOR TARE AND NET WEIGHT ARE BLANK.
THE ONLY OTHER EVIDENCE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE GOODS TRANSPORTED IS AN INVENTORY TAKEN BY THE AGENCY INSPECTOR. THE INVENTORY RESULTED IN AN ESTIMATE OF 2,500 POUNDS. HOWEVER, THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE INVENTORY WAS BASED UPON A TOUR OF MR. GOODSELL'S MOBILE HOME IN TEXARKANA DURING WHICH HE POINTED OUT WHICH ITEMS HAD BEEN TRANSPORTED FROM HIS PREVIOUS RESIDENCE, AND WHICH ITEMS HAD BEEN IN THE MOBILE HOME WHEN HE PURCHASED IT. FURTHER, THE INVENTORY INCLUDED THREE LARGE APPLIANCES WHICH WERE NOT ACTUALLY SEEN BY THE INSPECTOR. MR. GOODSELL STATED THAT HE HAD TRANSPORTED THEM FROM SOUTH DAKOTA BUT SOLD THEM IMMEDIATELY UPON HIS ARRIVAL IN TEXARKANA.
THE ABOVE DOCUMENTATION IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO SUPPORT A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM. THE WEIGHT CERTIFICATE IS INADEQUATE BECAUSE IT SHOWS ONLY THE GROSS WEIGHT. WEIGHT CERTIFICATES MUST SHOW TARE WEIGHT AND VERIFY THE ACTUAL SCALE WEIGHT OF THE GOODS SHIPPED. CHALLIS BROUGHTON, B-193133, APRIL 24, 1979; FEDERAL TRAVEL REGULATIONS (FTR) (FPMR 101-7) PARAGRAPH 2-8.3A(3) (MAY 1973). FURTHER, THE INVENTORY TAKEN BY THE AGENCY INSPECTOR IS NOT ADEQUATE TO SUPPORT PAYMENT; AND THE RECORD CANNOT OTHERWISE SUPPORT PAYMENT BASED UPON THE CONSTRUCTIVE WEIGHT OF THE GOODS TRANSPORTED. JAMES G. BRISTOL, B-185626, JULY 1, 1976. FTR PARAGRAPH 2-8.2B(4) (MAY 1973).
IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, THE CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM IS DENIED AND PAYMENT MAY BE MADE ONLY FOR ACTUAL EXPENSES, AS MORE FULLY SET FORTH IN THE SETTLEMENT ISSUED BY OUR CLAIMS DIVISION.