B-165745, FEB. 11, 1969

B-165745, FEB. 11, 1969

TO MRS. LUELLA S. HOWARD:

WE REFER TO YOUR LETTER OF DECEMBER 2, 1968, WITH ENCLOSURES, REQUESTING OUR DECISION WHETHER YOU MAY CERTIFY FOR PAYMENT A RECLAIM VOUCHER FOR $450 IN FAVOR OF MR. ABRAHAM ISEMAN FOR MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES INCURRED BY HIM IN CONNECTION WITH A TRANSFER OF STATION FROM NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO WASHINGTON, D.C., IN JUNE 1967, AS AN EMPLOYEE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.

THE RECORD SHOWS THAT MR. ISEMAN PREVIOUSLY CLAIMED AND WAS ALLOWED$200 FOR MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES (UNITEMIZED) AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION 3.2A (1) (B) OF BUREAU OF THE BUDGET CIRCULAR NO. A-56. HOWEVER, MR. ISEMAN NOW STATES THAT AT THE TIME HE SUBMITTED HIS ORIGINAL VOUCHER HE WAS UNAWARE OF THE FACT THAT HE COULD CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT FOR MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES AMOUNTING TO $650 UNDER SUBSECTION 3.2A (2) OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56, IF SUPPORTED BY RECEIPTS OR OTHER ACCEPTABLE EVIDENCE OF PAYMENT.

IN CONNECTION WITH HIS CLAIM FOR PAYMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL $450 MR. ISEMAN HAS SUBMITTED AN ITEMIZED LIST OF EXPENSES TOTALING$1,594.90. HOWEVER, HE HAS FURNISHED RECEIPTS OR OTHER EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF EXPENSES TOTALING ONLY $1,154.90. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBSECTION 3.2A (2) OF CIRCULAR NO. A- 56, WE WILL CONSIDER ONLY THOSE EXPENSES WHICH ARE SUPPORTED BY PROPER EVIDENCE.

OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT CLAIMED AS MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES BY MR. ISEMAN THE SUM OF $946.85 REPRESENTS EXPENSES IN CONNECTION WITH THE PURCHASE OF NEW CARPETING, FURNITURE, CURTAINS, AND CURTAIN RODS. WHILE SUBSECTION 3.1B (2) OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56 PROVIDES FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF THE COSTS OF MODIFYING CURTAINS AND RUGS MOVED FROM ONE RESIDENCE TO ANOTHER, THE REGULATIONS DO NOT CONTEMPLATE UNDERWRITING THE EXPENSE OF AN ORIGINAL PURCHASE OF FURNISHINGS FOR THE NEW RESIDENCE. THEREFORE, SUCH EXPENSES MAY NOT BE ALLOWED. SEE B-163449, MARCH 4, 1968, COPY HEREWITH.

WITH RESPECT TO MR. ISEMAN'S CLAIM FOR $16.87, ALLEGEDLY REPRESENTING THE COST OF ADJUSTING HIS TELEVISION SET, THE RECEIPTED BILL SHOWS THAT SUCH AMOUNT COVERED THE COST OF REPLACING DEFECTIVE PARTS AND A LABOR CHARGE FOR CHECKING TUBES, CIRCUITS, ETC., AND CLEANING AND ADJUSTING THE TUNER. SUCH EXPENSES CANNOT BE REGARDED AS COSTS ARISING FROM THE DISCONNECTING AND CONNECTING OF APPLIANCES UNDER SUBSECTION 3.1B (1) OF THE REGULATIONS. RATHER, THEY REPRESENT COSTS OF REPAIRS WHICH SPECIFICALLY ARE EXCLUDED UNDER SUBSECTION 3.1C (12).

IN REGARD TO MR. ISEMAN'S CLAIM FOR $85.08 REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COST HE ACTUALLY INCURRED FOR TRANSPORTATION OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND THE AMOUNT HE WAS ALLOWED UNDER THE COMMUTED RATE SYSTEM, WE POINT OUT THAT ALLOWABLE MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES INCLUDE ONLY THOSE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN CONSIDERED AND REJECTED AS NOT BEING ALLOWABLE UNDER ONE OR MORE OF THE SPECIFIC CATEGORIES OF COST REIMBURSEMENT PROVIDED BY THE REGULATIONS. SINCE THE EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN PAID THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT ALLOWABLE FOR SHIPMENT OF HIS HOUSEHOLD GOODS UNDER SECTION 6 OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56, NO ADDITIONAL AMOUNT MAY BE ALLOWED ON THE PRESENT VOUCHER. SEE SECTION 3.1C OF CIRCULAR NO. A-56 AND B-162320, SEPTEMBER 18, 1967, COPY HEREWITH.

CONCERNING THE EMPLOYEE'S CLAIM FOR $320, REPRESENTING THE VALUE OF DISCARDED FURNITURE, CURTAINS, AND OTHER PERSONAL PROPERTY,REIMBURSEMENT FOR SUCH EXPENSES IS SPECIFICALLY PRECLUDED UNDER SUBSECTION 3.1C (8) OF THE REGULATIONS.

THE ALLOWABLE ITEMS WHICH ARE SUPPORTED BY RECEIPTS CONSIST OF AUTOMOBILE REGISTRATION ($23), EXCISE TAX ($34.35), TITLE FEE ($3), FITTING OF CARPETS ($117.75), AND TELEPHONE INSTALLATION ($18), TOTALING $196.10.

SINCE MR. ISEMAN HAS BEEN PAID AN ALLOWANCE OF $200 FOR MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES UNDER SUBSECTION 3.2A (1) (B), IT FOLLOWS THAT NO AMOUNT IS DUE ON THE PRESENT VOUCHER. THEREFORE, THE VOUCHER, WHICH IS RETURNED HEREWITH, MAY NOT BE CERTIFIED FOR PAYMENT.