[Request for Reconsideration of Application for Waiver of Erroneous Payments]

An Air Force employee requested reconsideration of the Claims Group's denial of his application for waiver of salary overpayments that resulted from a failure to reduce his pay upon expiration of a period of retained pay following a reduction in force. The Claims Group found that, since the employee knew or should have known that his pay would decrease after 2 years, he was partially at fault, thus precluding waiver. In his request for reconsideration, the employee reiterated arguments that the overpayment was the result of an administrative error and that repayment would create a financial hardship. He further argued that two other individuals in similar situations had received overpayment waivers. GAO found that: (1) the fact that the overpayment resulted from administrative error did not relieve the employee of his responsibility to review his pay records for accuracy or take corrective action; (2) other employees' receipt of overpayment waivers had no bearing on this case; and (3) financial hardship alone was not a basis for waiver when other circumstances precluded such action. Accordingly, the Claims Group's denial of the request for waiver was sustained.