B-147663, OCT. 11, 1962
Highlights
EXCEPTIONS WERE TAKEN IN THE NOVEMBER 1960 AND JUNE 1961 ACCOUNTS OF J. WERE STATED FOR THE REASON THAT THE TRANSFER WAS MADE NOT ONLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE EMPLOYEE BUT WAS MADE AT HIS REQUEST AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACTS. THE INFORMATION OF RECORD SHOWED THAT IT WAS NOT UNTIL OCTOBER 24. BANKS FIRST BEGAN NEGOTIATING FOR A POSITION WITH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION THAT THERE WAS ANY MENTION MADE OF A REDUCTION IN-FORCE ACTION. THE RESULT OF THAT VISIT WAS A REORGANIZATION AND A REDUCTION-IN-FORCE AND SHORTLY AFTER MR. BANKS' TRANSFER THE POSITION HE HAD HELD AT HILL AIR FORCE BASE WAS ABOLISHED. WE HAVE BEEN FURNISHED A COPY OF A LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 19. BANKS THAT AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE WAS PROPOSED IN EARLY 1960.
B-147663, OCT. 11, 1962
TO ADMINISTRATOR, VETERANS ADMINISTRATION:
THIS REFERS TO LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 21, 1962, WITH ENCLOSURE, FROM THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, INFORMATION SERVICE, CONCERNING THE TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF MR. HAROLD V. BANKS IN TRANSFERRING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE, OGDEN, UTAH, FOR DUTY WITH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION, WASHINGTON, D.C., IN NOVEMBER 1960.
BY GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE NOTICE OF EXCEPTIONS NOS. 200644 AND 200645 DATED APRIL 26, 1962, EXCEPTIONS WERE TAKEN IN THE NOVEMBER 1960 AND JUNE 1961 ACCOUNTS OF J. F. CANNON, DISBURSING OFFICER, IN THE AMOUNTS OF $185.60 AND $1,168.89, COVERING MR. BANKS' TRAVELING EXPENSES AND TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS, RESPECTIVELY, AND WERE STATED FOR THE REASON THAT THE TRANSFER WAS MADE NOT ONLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE EMPLOYEE BUT WAS MADE AT HIS REQUEST AS EVIDENCED BY THE FACTS.
THE INFORMATION OF RECORD SHOWED THAT IT WAS NOT UNTIL OCTOBER 24, 1960, IN A TELETYPE FROM THE HILL AIR FORCE BASE, OR APPROXIMATELY TEN MONTHS AFTER MR. BANKS FIRST BEGAN NEGOTIATING FOR A POSITION WITH THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION THAT THERE WAS ANY MENTION MADE OF A REDUCTION IN-FORCE ACTION. THE INFORMATION NOW FURNISHED BY MR. BANKS SHOWS THAT IN THE FALL OF 1959, OR PRIOR TO MR. BANKS' FIRST CONTACTING THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION SEEKING EMPLOYMENT, A TEAM FROM HEADQUARTERS AIR MATERIAL AREA VISITED HILL AIR FORCE BASE, OGDEN, UTAH, TO STUDY THE CIVIL ENGINEERING DIVISION WHERE MR. BANKS WORKED. THE RESULT OF THAT VISIT WAS A REORGANIZATION AND A REDUCTION-IN-FORCE AND SHORTLY AFTER MR. BANKS' TRANSFER THE POSITION HE HAD HELD AT HILL AIR FORCE BASE WAS ABOLISHED. ALSO, WE HAVE BEEN FURNISHED A COPY OF A LETTER OF SEPTEMBER 19, 1962, FROM COLONEL BOROWSKI TO MR. BANKS THAT AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE WAS PROPOSED IN EARLY 1960. TRANSFERS OF CAREER EMPLOYEES BECAUSE OF A REDUCTION-IN-FORCE HAVE BEEN HELD TO BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE GOVERNMENT AND TRAVELING EXPENSES INCIDENT THERETO MAY BE AUTHORIZED AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE. SEE 26 COMP. GEN. 684; 32 ID. 383; 34 ID. 313.
THEREFORE, SINCE THE INFORMATION NOW AVAILABLE SHOWS THAT A PRIMARY REASON FOR MR. BANKS' SEEKING A TRANSFER WAS BECAUSE OF AN ANTICIPATED REDUCTION-IN-FORCE, THE EXCEPTIONS TO THE PAYMENT ON THE VOUCHERS HERE INVOLVED WILL BE REMOVED.